Police officers & lawyers, I need your wisdom please re brothels

[MrsMcEnroe]

Hello all,

Some background: I own a shop in a part of town that has been grotty and neglected for years but which is now, thanks to a lot of hard work from residents and traders plus a Lottery grant, now starting to regenerate.

Across the road from my shop is a brothel. It is acknowledged as such by the local police. Residents and traders are not happy that the brothel is allowed to continue operating. Most people are worried about the supposed "dodgy blokes" (to quote a recent email, not my words, on the subject) that it brings to the area; however, I have more serious concerns regarding the welfare of the ladies working there. I have seen some of them leaving and they don't look well at all.

I am attending a meeting of the local community forum tomorrow, at which the police, council members and planning officers will tell us what they are doing re the brothel (if anything). I know I've read that prostitutes are at much higher risk of violence, including sexual violence, than other women; does anyone have any facts and figures I could use please? Also, is it even legal to operate a brothel? When I was doing my law degree 20 years ago, I'm sure brothel-keeping came under the heading of living off immoral earnings but perhaps this has changed?? I just want to make the point that there are vulnerable women right there in our midst who, rather than being condemned, should be helped. (I never qualified as a lawyer, hence my lack of current knowledge).

Or am I being naive? Or simplistic?

This post comes cross in a very stilted manner - sorry, I'm typing with 2 fingers with a puppy asleep on my lap!

TIA.

grimbletart

Not at all, I was most definatley not at the higher end of the scale in how much I charged, more like middle lower if you really want to know. The reason I made money was because I treated it and approached it as a business from start to finish. What you make of it is up to the individual. If you earn money then go out and blow it on silly things you are not going to have much saved at the end of the year, just the same in a so called normal job. Personally I see nothing normal about being herded into cramped offices and buildings, treated like crap by your boss, work like a donkey only to find the person under you has been promoted over you simply because you are what the company classes as either too old now, female or "likely to leave to start a family". All rather ageist sexist and not something I wanted to be part of. Why let yourself be exploited like that for someone elses gain. I have a friend who used to have to write out, compile information etc for her boss to present in conferences with his boss for which he got all the credit. That is exploitation. It goes on every where.