The English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP) founded in 1975, campaigns for the decriminalisation of prostitution, sex workers’ right to recognition and safety, and financial alternatives so that no one is forced into prostitution by poverty. The ECP provides information, help and support to individual prostitute women and others who are concerned with sex workers’ rights, civil, legal and economic rights.
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The English Collective of Prostitutes and the US PROStitutes Collective (US PROS) are part of the International Prostitutes Collective which has a network of sex workers in many countries of the world. The ECP works closely with the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective who spearheaded legislation in New Zealand [1] to decriminalise prostitution. A recent government review [2] found that after five years there had been no increase in the numbers of women working and women’s safety had improved.
In the aftermath of the murders of five young women in Ipswich in December 2007, the ECP initiated the Safety First Coalition [3] to decriminalise sex work and prioritise safety. Members include the Royal College of Nursing, the National Association of Probation Officers, bereaved families, anti-poverty campaigners, church people, residents of red light areas, medical and legal professionals, prison reformers, sex workers, anti-rape organisations, drug rehabilitation projects.
The English Collective of Prostitutes is spearheading campaigning against the Policing and Crime Act 2009 [4] which includes proposals to criminalise anyone involved in the sex industry whether or not there is force or coercion; target safer premises; seize and retain money and assets, even without a conviction; increase arrests against street workers; arrest men on ‘sus’; imprison sex workers who breach a compulsory rehabilitation order. [5]
The ECP has publicised the ways in which these measures will force prostitution underground, exposing sex workers to greater danger and preventing them coming forward to report violence and access health and other services.
The ECP challenges academically discredited research [6] which falsely labels most sex workers as victims of trafficking.
The ECP has been involved in local campaigns aimed at making life safer for prostitutes following incidents in certain areas. For example:
The Ipswich Murders of 2006 in which all the victims are alleged to have been prostitutes.
Reading Borough Council and the Thames Valley Police have been targeting prostitutes working in the Oxford Road area of Reading, Berkshire for several years [7] [8] [9].