Children are being harassed in the UKs "red light district" of Holbeck

[TrashyTerf]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6382047/Sick-pervert-asks-grandmother-hour-four-month-old-baby.html

I would apologise for the DM link, but then again, they are the only news source covering this disgusting story.

Basically, everyone who lives in the legalized prostitution area in Holbeck is being harassed for sex. The people living there did not get a choice over this legislation and are being ignored by the government.

I am so fucking angry about this. I just don't know where to start!

working class women being seen as expendable as usual.

Just to add to the information, within weeks of the supposed safe zone opened, a prostitute called Daria Pionko was murdered. More recently a woman was abducted from the street and raped by four men - no action has been brought against the men because they thought she was a prostitute, and apparently these days in Leeds that counts as a defence against a rape accusation. The council (barring one very brave independent councillor) and West Yorkshire police appear to be complicit in the industrial scale abuse of women. Local residents have been complaining for some time now that far from establishing a safe zone, this has simply made the streets of Holbeck unsafe for all women.

Contrast Ipswich, where following the murder of several prostitutes, the council embraced a version of the Nordic model. They support women in finding alternative employment, but aggressively prosecute pimps and kerb crawlers. Ipswich is now a much safer city for women.

FFS.

@FermatsTheorem

Yes, Holbeck is up north, so I think it may be a tad less important than anywhere down south. 

I wonder how many mps live in the area? In fact, I don't even need to do any research on that. I know that the answer wills be zero! 

bump

Just been listening to he radio and they're talking about CiN. This is a cause that CiN should support. It is happening Right now!

Oh and don’t forget the vile excuse for a man who asked a grandma pushing her 4 month old grandson in his pram ‘how much for an hour with it, don’t worry I’ll bring it back’.

It’s disgusting and it should never have been allowed to happen.

I live in Leeds.

Trashy - exactly correct, the area is Hillary Benn’s I believe. He’s ignored it for 4 years, but did recently send a letter calling for an independent review.

The local counsellors also don’t live in the area (I feel this should be a requirement of office!) it took approaching the conservative councillors to even get to the point of a debate this week.

A special mention to Cllr Sarah Fields, Independent of Garforth too, an inspiring speech and telling that not one Labour councillor applauded.

She used to be Labour, I read.

What are the rest of them (Labour I mean) playing at?

yes yes CIN should be tackling this.

Cllr Fields resigned as a Labour candidate after the Lord Mayor scandal.

Did anyone see the BBC drama Doing Money?

There needs to be an immediate rethink of this. Street sex work is dangerous but I can't help worry that clamping down on street workers will push it all behind-the-scenes.

@TheQueef that’s why the Nordic model is a good option. It criminalises the men buying women’s bodies but not the women. It offers help to women trying to get out.

I’m in Liverpool, I read recently they want to try something similar here. The area they propose is already rife with prostitutes, they are not your ‘high class hookers’ they are in the main, poor, drug addicted, malnourished and probably pimped. I am incensed people think this is a good idea.

(It’s also about a mile away from where I live and backing onto a park which is worrying as obviously lots of kids about).

I live very close to one beat and a rendezvous car park the other side.

Over the years the women come and go but regulars were consistent, now there are no British born women (only mentioning that because immigrants won't have a clue how to get help) no women over 30 and the young are worryingly young.
None speak to passers (I'm in Sheffield it's the law to talk to strangers here) and they all work alone now.

As soon as the last few punters book online kerb crawling will vanish, along with the women and any hope of anyone casting their eye.

@TheQueef

I am so sorry to hear that. I can't imagine what it must be like to live near it. 

May I ask, do the surrounding communities talk about it much?

No, people just move.
Some get wound up, report for a while and then give up.
I've been here a long time and don't actually hate it wolves in plain sight I hate how it has changed though.
There has always been a couple or three women working regularly (I'm going back to Sutcliffe) they were exploited but it tended to be to support A partner or addiction.
The women now children that are dropped off, only for their punter to arrive a minute later and whisk them away all look like dazed, stunned fucking cattle.
It's heart breaking.
Other ethnicities are still off limits so nobody shouts only right wing leeches.

I'm a sales rep who covers Yorkshire and Lancashire, work primarily out of Leeds. Pulled up down one of the streets in Holbeck to do some quick paperwork (wasn't aware of what the area was, i have a couple of customers in the area, I live in a different city), was v startled by a woman who came up and knocked on my window and asked if I wanted any, although not as startled as she was to see a 30yo female looking back at her. Poor woman looked freezing. I'll never forget the look on her face as she walked off.

I haven't heard one good story about this area. It's heartbreaking.