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Sign the open letter to the Mayor of London
Boris Johnson
Mayor of London
Greater London Authority
City Hall, The Queen’s Walk
London SE1 2AA
Dear Mr Johnson,
Stop the Arrests Campaign is concerned that the policing of sex workers and sex establishments in the lead-up to the Olympics threatens to compromise the safety and autonomy of sex workers. In light of this, we are calling for a moratorium on arrests, detention and deportation of sex workers with immediate effect until the end of the Olympic Games in London.
We are aware of “clean-up efforts” targeting sex workers and sex establishments that are underway in London, particularly east London, in the run up to the Olympics. These efforts are partly a response to the claim – made by governments, charity organisations and campaign groups – that the Olympics will lead to an increase in trafficking for prostitution. This is despite the fact that there is no evidence that large sporting events cause an increase in trafficking.
These include multiple raids and closure of premises, which have resulted in arbitrary arrests, detention and deportation of people working in the sex industry. This creates a climate of fear among workers, leaving them less likely to report crimes against them and more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. It is an inadequate response to sex work and to trafficking.
Last December in Barking & Dagenham a violent gang carried out a series of robberies on brothels at knife point. Sex workers were deterred from pursuing the attacks after police threatened them with prosecution. Thus many more were attacked and one woman was raped. Once the police agreed to an amnesty from arrest sex workers were able to come forward.
In light of this, we are calling on yourself, in cooperation with the London Metropolitan Police and UK Border Agency, to suspend arrests, detention and deportation of sex workers using, or during enforcement of, the criminal laws laid out in Appendix 1.
We await your positive response.
Sincerely,
Stop the Arrests
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