In this moving poem, Jenna describes her struggle to rebuild a life away from prostitution. Read More
Escape room
I can’t sell sex and can’t be reminded of it. Lost in a 9-5 world.
Jenna tells of her struggles to build a career after prostitution, brilliantly conveying the difficulties women face after sexual exploitation. Read More
When rape is part of the job
Jenna, a prostitution survivor, writes about the impact of stealthing on women involved in prostitution. Read More
When I grow up
Prostitution survivor, Emma, reflects on the utter confusion involved in selling sex and the mismatch between the hype that “sex work is real work” and the actual reality. Read More
‘By the time I was 18, I had been a sexual plaything to men for over a decade’
A harrowing account of child abuse, child sexual exploitation, prostitution, and extreme BDSM. Read More
I told myself ‘I give it away, I may as well get paid.’
This testimony about how predatory men sexually used and abused a 17-year-old girl who had endured years of child abuse and neglect would be shocking – were it not so common. Read More
‘Prostitution is not as things are portrayed in the media’
Two women and a man provide short accounts of their experience of prostitution, explaining how they were groomed, coerced and exploited. Read More
‘Every single person I’ve ever met who’s been involved in the sex industry was sexually abused as a child’
Sian describes her experience of prostitution as a teenager and its link to child sexual abuse. She explains why the term ‘sex work’ obscures the violence and horror of the sex trade. Read More
Why I Support the Equality/Nordic Model instead of Decriminalisation of Brothel Owners and Pimps
Sex trade survivor Michelle Kelly explains why she supports the Nordic Model approach to prostitution law and policy rather than full decriminalisation. Read More
‘These men did not even view me as human let alone a beautiful woman’
Jenna explains why she entered prostitution, what it was like, and why it took her so long to face the reality that ‘sex work is real work’ is a lie. Read More
‘Women are not microwaves’ – A surrogate mother and a midwife speak of the havoc that surrogacy causes
An “altruistic” surrogate mother explains how she was abandoned by the intended parents and a midwife talks of some harrowing surrogacy cases she witnessed. Read More
My surrogacy story: I was lied to, manipulated and exposed to cruel behaviours by public institutions and people I thought I could trust
How one woman’s surrogacy journey turned into a nightmare of lies, manipulation and cruelty. Read More
‘Porn has really messed with people’s heads and has set poor expectations of how to treat human beings’
‘Cyanide circus’ talks of the impact of porn, on herself, her partners, and her sex life, and what happened when she tried webcamming. Read More
‘It’s not glamorous. It’s the pits for most of us.’
‘Belle’ tells of her life in prostitution – how she had no idea what she was signing up for or the devastating consequences it would have. Read More
Violence and racism in the New Zealand sex trade
A powerful and moving talk from Ally-Marie Diamond about the realities of the decriminalised system of prostitution in New Zealand and its disastrous impact on Māori and Pasifika women and girls. Read More
‘I portrayed it as more glamorous, exciting and innocently free-spirited than it was’
‘Miranda’ fell into prostitution as a young woman and for a while portrayed it as glamorous and exciting – until a few years’ after she’d left the industry, the true horrors of her experiences came back to her… Read More
‘How does one live in a world that both objectifies you and hates you for the mere crime of being a girl?’
A former cam girl reflects on Andrew Tate’s influence and how it is a reflection of a much deeper problem – the institutionalised objectification and hatred of women. Read More
‘The pain inside me was like fire burning me’
Brendan writes about being sexually abused and raped while at school and the violence and many years involvement in prostitution that followed. Read More
‘Camming is a scam industry’
A woman who has been webcamming for six years explains the reality – that it’s nothing like it’s depicted in the mainstream media and the consumers are abusive and manipulative. Read More
Cyber “femdom” or female domination is presented as an empowering dynamic, where the woman has the upper hand. It’s not.
In this harrowing piece, Sandra explains the reality of ‘femdom’ webcamming to male consumers, who – surprise, surprise – do not usually “behave like fans or friends but as jealous stalkers or abusive partners”. Read More
‘If Sweden didn’t have the Nordic Model, I would not be alive’
Cajsa talks about her experience of prostitution in Sweden under the Nordic Model and why she believes it is the best approach to prostitution law and policy. Read More
The mass grooming of girls and young women for the sex industry starts in earliest childhood and ends with the monetisation of young women themselves
The dangers of Onlyfans and ‘sugar dating’ and how young women are groomed and lured into these newer and emerging forms of prostitution and pornography. Read More
The reality of New Zealand’s decriminalised sex trade
Chelsea Geddes draws on her more than 20 years in New Zealand’s legal brothels, to explain how the full decrim prostitution system works out in practice. Read More
‘Sex work is a special hell that men have created for women’
A woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, sent this powerful and harrowing piece in through our Share Your Story page, which provides a space for women to tell of their experiences of the sex trade in their own words. Read More
‘I have epilepsy. Punters would shag me when I was fitting.’
I was forced into prostitution by my partner – I funded his drink habit.
I have epilepsy and would frequently fit – that made him more money. Punters would shag me when I was fitting… Read More
BODY SHELL GIRL by Rose Hunter: A review
A review of Rose Hunter’s brilliant and moving book, ‘Body Shell Girl’, which takes us into the massage parlours, brothels and other dark places of her first two years in the sex industry. Read More
‘Even in what I would consider comparatively good circumstances, prostitution was bad’
“My foray into prostitution started at age 17, when I signed up on the “Seeking Arrangement” website…” Read More
The Incest to Prostitution Pipeline
Recording and transcript of a powerful and compelling talk given by Sarah, a prostitution survivor, at Reclaim The Night in Perth, Australia. Read More
‘Exiting sex work is easier said than done’
“The way out isn’t quite so easy as the way in and the longer you stay on the fringes of society, the harder it becomes to bridge those gaps.” Read More
‘I was groomed into sex work by an ex’
“I was groomed into sex work by an ex; it started simple. Small, like drops of water into a bucket…” Read More
‘If I had known the truth about what awaited me in that brothel, I would never have been there’
In this brilliant article based on her own experiences, Tara articulates the reality of life in a UK brothel. Essential reading. Read More
‘Prostitution and the pornography that supports it destroy women. Why is that so hard to understand?’
“It’s impossible to assess the damage while you are in it because then, you would not do it. So obviously, you lie to yourself and everyone else…” Read More
InVISIBLE by Andrea Heinz
Andrea Heinz wrote this moving poem soon after exiting seven years in the commercial sex trade. Read More
‘We do not want to be sex workers. It’s not fun and it’s so damaging!’
My story started when I met my first proper boyfriend. The one to whom I lost my virginity. He had very odd sexual fantasies that I complied with because I had never really known love… Read More
‘I live with the trauma of being in the sex trade from 16-25 years old but also with the fact that I involved other women’
Powerful and moving pieces sent to us through our Share Your Story page, which provides a space for women to tell of their experiences in their own words. Read More
‘When the client pays for those minutes, your body is his and he will do what he wants…’
I did not choose as a child to be a prostitute and then as an adult I had no other opportunities and then I was in a foreign country and since I was a putanna I had to continue even if it was not what I dreamed of being… Read More
Confusing love and sex: how the care system creates a context for grooming and child prostitution
In this searing article based on her own experiences, ‘Alice’ brilliantly articulates the disturbing reality of girls growing up in the failing British ‘care’ system and why they make such easy prey for pimps. Essential reading. Read More
Prostitution policy: The Nordic Model or full decriminalization?
This page provides access to the recording and transcript of our ‘Prostitution policy: The Nordic Model or full decriminalization? What do sex trade survivors say?’ webinar that was held on 24 January 2021.
The theme of the webinar was the debate about the Sexual Exploitation Bill that Dame Diana Johnson recently tabled in the UK Parliament. If passed, this would establish a Nordic Model approach to prostitution legislation and policy in England and Wales. Read More
‘Any girl, and most boys, growing up in care become targets for the sexual predation of adult men’
‘Alice’ sent this harrowing testimony about growing up in a UK children’s home through our Share Your Story page.
“A lot of the time surviving in the care system prepares girls for prostitution later. We all allowed degrees of sexual access to adult men for basics like food or clothing. Even beyond that most girls acquiesce to men’s sexual demands in return for things that make you feel like a ‘normal’ young teenager, but aren’t necessities…” Read More
Swedish sex trade survivors back international campaign for the Nordic Model
This article, by a group of people who have experienced prostitution in Sweden, explains why they formed the organisation #intedinhora (#notyourwhore) and why they back the Nordic Model approach to prostitution policy.
“We see prostitution as neither work nor sex, but as an oppression built upon oppression based on gender, race, class and/or age. We believe this, not despite our own experiences of being in the sex industry, but because of them.” Read More
‘My father started sexually abusing me before I was two years old…’
“I’m a survivor of familial sex trafficking. My father started sexually abusing me before I was even two years old and by age six, he was selling me to strangers for sex. This went on until I was about 16 years old.
He threatened my younger brother and me, saying he would kill our mother if we ever told anyone what he was doing… Read More
‘Sex buyers, pimps and traffickers are delusional, narcissistic murderers of innocence’
A woman who wants to remain anonymous sent this powerful piece about her experiences in, and understanding of, prostitution through our Share Your Story page. This provides a space for women to tell of their experiences of the sex trade in their own words.
“Sex buyers, pimps and traffickers are delusional, narcissistic murderers of innocence that malevolently groom, then prey upon, people who are often victims of child molestation and sexual assault. These vulnerable people also tend to struggle with substance abuse, mental illness and most of all, financial insecurity… Read More
‘Gagged and bound, I’m led down the steps into the basement…’
‘Sarah’ sent this harrowing and powerful piece about her experiences in prostitution through our Share Your Story page.
“Gagged and bound, I’m led down the steps into the basement. A group of men stand there and my legs begin to buckle beneath me. Surely, I’m not to be offered up to all of them? I’m horrified and afraid. But the question has already been answered in my mind and I know that my life will be changed forever… Read More
Three Dangerous Myths About Webcamming, Debunked
There are many popular myths about cam girls. The men who pay them often believe cam girls are lazy, superficial, money-hungry [insert gendered slur of your choice here]. A lot of women think the work will be sexually empowering, or at the very least, innocuous.
However, I once worked as a cam girl and got to find out first-hand what being one was actually like. I learned that all the myths about webcamming are not only false and misleading but dangerous. Here is the truth behind three of the biggest myths… Read More
Hidden in plain sight
This is a transcript of Rebecca Mott’s talk at the ‘Experience of Prostitution’ webinar on 27 September 2020.
“I was prostituted from the age of 14 until my early 20s. I will speak to what it is to be prostituted; to the conditions for the prostituted and the breaking down of their humanity…
Read More
‘I WANT to have a real job and feel like a real person, NOT a used rag’
These powerful and moving pieces were sent to us through our Share Your Story page, which provides a space for women to tell of their experiences of the sex trade in their own words.
“I’m in the US. I have been prostituting for years off and on. I’ve been arrested four times. I have no job skills… Read More
Ireland must invest in services to help people exit prostitution
This piece was sent in anonymously through our Share Your Story page, which provides a space for women to tell of their experiences of the sex trade in their own words.
“I am a 43 year-old Irish woman who was actively involved in prostitution for five years from 2008 to 2013. My involvement in the sex trade came about as a result of my chronic addiction to heroin. I was not a victim of trafficking, nor was I being controlled by a pimp… Read More
‘I had no support or way out’
Stacy sent this account of her life in the sex trade, and after, through our Share Your Story page, where women can enter their experiences of the sex trade anonymously and in their own words.
“I prostituted for more than seven years and endured lots of physical, sexual, mental and spiritual abuse from both my pimp and the johns. I became an alcoholic and drug addict to ease the pain. Selling sex was never OK for me but I was in fear and had no support or way out.” Read More
‘Made to feel like nothing, made to feel worse than nothing, like she was just disposable’
A woman, who wants to remain anonymous, sent us this #MeToo account of her life in prostitution through our Share Your Story page. This provides a space for women to tell their stories in their own words.
“Imagine going to the cops because you have been severely raped/beaten/robbed and they laugh at you because you are a whore and you got what you deserved…” Read More
‘I believe legalised prostitution strengthens and emboldens misogynistic attitudes in men’
‘Siobhan’ sent us this #MeToo account of her experiences in the legal sex trade in New Zealand and Australia through our Share Your Story page. This provides a space for women to tell their stories in their own words.
“These deliberate attempts by punters to mess with my head have affected me much, much more than the multitude of times I was physically and sexually assaulted in prostitution. I still ruminate about the veiled insults they made about my worth, my looks and my character… I thought I had low self-esteem at 17, but prostitution has absolutely destroyed it.” Read More