You need to read this article about the Leeds red light district.

[DJLippy]

I read this blog about the Leeds red light district from someone who lives there. It's so illuminating. This needs a wider audience - please share on social media. This is what decriminalisation looks like.

littlegirlblue.blog/2018/05/25/living-in-the-red-light-district/

The stuff I’ve read indicated the prostitution originating in Holbeck (possibly other places too) and the police then targeting Holbeck for policing which then resulted in the sex workers going to the naicer areas to work in order to avoid the police. This then resulted in complaints like you described and so they decided to create the managed zone and situate it in Holbeck because that is where the sex workers actually were.

I doubt that all of the sex work in Leeds is now in Holbeck managed zone or that the reduction in complaints indicates the people of Holbeck are happy with the managed zone. People living in naicer areas are more likely to know how to complain, to actually complain and to expect something will be done about what they have complained about.

People living in naicer areas are more likely to know how to
complain, to actually complain and to expect something will be
done about what they have complained about.

Indeed, twas ever thus.
I think if it had been kept to the managed zone,at the accepted times, there would be less fuss, however it has expanded space and time wise.
It was once upon a time down water lane, not far from holbeck, but in a less populated area. I imagine its been moved slightly further out because the water lane area became gentrified and populated by people that didn't want to see such things from their Windows in their fancy flats

Maybe there would be fewer complaints if the women just stayed in the shitty part of town where no one can see them, but that’s not good enough. They aren’t safe there, that’s why they aren’t staying there. It isn’t acceptable for the council and police to force them into hiding because they find complaints inconvenient. The problems for local residents are nothing compared to what is happening to those women. I am not happy for them to be kettled into the shitty industrial estate where people can’t see them. I want the state to recognise the multiple failures that have led them to this point and to recitify them so they aren’t living like that any more.

Yy celine...

Have you seen this thread re West Yorkshire police?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3264949-Andrew-Gilligan-and-MESMAC

I didn't really know about any of this but am now really rage.
Thanks for posting and I really enjoyed the blog article and hope to watch the documentaries

Speaking of joining the dots - what are West Yorkshire police famous for if not for making a complete pigs ear of the Yorkshire Ripper investigation?

The West Yorkshire police are a disgrace by any measure you take. I have no idea how it is allowed to go on.

It seems like it may have been going on for decades with no real improvement TBH which is really frightening because that would mean it is being actively taught to new generations of police officers inspite of some pretty massive scandals.

Perhaps Hilary Benn MP could move his office to Holbeck. To make sure that he understands the consequences of this, and to prove that it’s all just fine

This is an eye opening article and very well written. I can completely see how people would become trapped in a cycle of poverty in an area like that. I'm not sure I understand the OPs situation though. With such high level of education and skill I can't understand why moving area is not an option- particularly after 3 years.

I’ve done a fair bit of call centre work in the area. They are full of people with degrees, masters degrees, industry qualifications etc. Blog poster might have disabilities, dependents or other reasons for not being able to move, despite her educational background.

Fair enough sporadic.
My opinion was just that, at face value, the OP seems to have far more options open to her than many of the residents of that area.

Dunno if this link will work, progress?

m.facebook.com/groups/1553774231398165?multi_permalinks=1634770686631852&notif_t=group_highlights&notif_id=1527832923154943&ref=m_notif

Maybe this link is better, sorry

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10214802623511556&id=1004793314&ref=m_notif&notif_t=group_highlights

I'm not sure I understand the OPs situation though. With such high level of education and skill I can't understand why moving area is not an option- particularly after 3 years.

The fact you don’t understand this perhaps indicates that you need to go away and find out what is going on re the cuts and welfare reforms.

The fact you don’t understand this perhaps indicates that you need to go away and find out what is going on re the cuts and welfare reforms

But my point really is that a person who is bilingual and holds a PhD is surely employable and thus not in need of welfare?
I'm not trying to be controversial here and I absolutely understand that the majority of the population of that area will be entirely trapped there but I'm not sure I understand how the OP is.

You may not be trying to be controversial but you certainly are being offensive.

How the heck do you work that out? What is offensive about my question?

I'm not sure I understand the OPs situation though. With such high level of education and skill I can't understand why moving area is not an option- particularly after 3 years

Why not make it a nicer place to live? I have never lived anywhere remotely resembling what the OP describes. The first flat I bought was in a considerably more downmarket , traditional working class part of a city than where I live now. I never saw anything like this there.

Everyone has to live somewhere-moving to a genteel area isn't an option for everyone.

Why aren’t you more aware of what is actually happening in the UK?

If you were you wouldn’t need to ask your question.

The asking of it being offensive because either you CBA to actually find out about poverty traps or you are not really asking a question at all but engaging in the tired old crap of blaming or suspecting poor people of a lack of moral fibre.

If you really don’t know how clever, qualified and skilled people get trapped in poverty then go and find out.

I'm simply saying that the blogger has more options than your average person who is absolutely stuck in that area. She has a massive advantage in that she has a very high level of education to fall back on.
I am, for the record, originally from not far from Leeds and most certainly from working class stock.

How the heck do you work that out? What is offensive about my question?

It is not so much offensive as just displaying a huge lack of imagination.

And I say that as someone who has largely wafted through life in a "mangent de la brioche" Marie Antoinette fashion.

So rather than conclude ‘fuck even a high level of education hasn’t prevented this woman falling into poverty’ you said ‘why are you poor?’

I think that there are probably many living in that part of Leeds and similar deprived areas of the country who would look at the blogger with a degree of distaste to be honest. She has clearly had a great deal more advantage than many of them will have known.

I assume, for instance that she went away to university and therefore has lived elsewhere, presumably choosing at some point to live in that area. The majority of people living there, I would hazard a guess, have had no such experience or choice.
And yes, absolutely work to improve the area. That is very noble and worthwhile and I totally admire it. But don't then class yourself as "working class" and in the same poverty trap as those with limited education and options.

So it never was a question at all then. Just nastiness about OP.

interpret my words however you wish. I'm sure you will anyway.

The OP is not in the same boat as many of her neighbours will be. The mere fact that she has written that blog so eloquently demonstrates that frankly.