Dec 10, 2025
Over the year, we have seen the introduction of polices, such as measures to expunge the criminal records of survivors of child sexual exploitation convicted of loitering and soliciting offences, that have offered hope for progress. However, punitive policies, such as the reform of welfare payments, have once again exposed the exclusion of women who sell sex from policy development. Their lived experience remains largely unaccounted for, leaving significant gaps in support.
Beyond the Streets’ 2022 research into the support needs of those involved in the UK sex industry revealed that 66% of women contacting our national phone support service stated that they struggled to access support. Many women were unaware of the support available, while others found that support didn’t exist in their local area.
A 2025 Freedom of Information request found that only 18% of councils confirmed they commission a dedicated service for women selling sex1. Within this fragmented support landscape, too many women are falling through the cracks.
Women experiencing poverty often experience gender-specific challenges, including caring responsibilities for children and barriers to employment and education. These challenges are intensified by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, combined with punitive measures such as changes to eligibility for Personal Independence Payments and cuts to the health-related element of Universal Credit.
A joined-up approach across Government departments, strategies and policies could build a better system of support. One that tackles the root causes that compel women into selling sex, the factors that keep them there, and the barriers they face in leaving.
This joined-up approach should include involving women who sell sex in conversations around digital safety. This year’s 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence theme is “end digital violence against all women and girls”. Women who sell sex may experience various forms of online abuse, including intimate image-based abuse, online harassment and stalking and threats of being outed for selling sex online.
During a camming session, she became increasingly uncomfortable with a man’s comments and behaviour and ended the session early. Soon after, the man located her on social media and messaged her multiple times. This caused her significant anxiety and distress. The man later created multiple online profiles in an attempt to reach her again after she blocked him.
The expansion of the digital sex industry has been accompanied by the glamourisation of selling sex online. This normalisation has allowed the harms that can result from selling sex online to be obscured, and has created a perceived hierarchy of harm, where selling sex online is viewed to be safer or less harmful to women. However, women supported by Beyond the Streets have shared experiences of harm associated with selling sex online, including the sharing of intimate images or videos without their ongoing and informed consent.
She recently discovered that photos of her had been shared without her consent on escorting websites, this was incredibly distressing. As she had previously shared the images on escorting websites, getting the images removed proved difficult, because this is not considered a criminal offence for someone to share an image or video that has already been published with consent for commercial use.
After extensive advocacy work, our Support Workers supported her in having all adverts removed. However, this relied solely on the discretion of related websites and brothels to take down the adverts.
During this period and beyond, we want to honour the lives of those involved in the sex industry who have been abused and killed by partners and family members. Our 2023 research, Lessons Learnt? Domestic Homicide Reviews through a Sex Industry Lens found that about 5% of all Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (previously Domestic Homicide Reviews) included individuals involved in the sex industry, however, this number is likely higher. Lessons must be learned from these individuals’ experiences, where a homicide or suicide has or appears to have resulted from domestic abuse, where they also have a connection to the sex industry.
Our research found that reviews often contained minimal information about an individual’s involvement in the sex industry and lacked understanding of the challenges and experiences of those who sell sex, particularly women. Understanding these are crucial in to better improving services, addressing structural inequality, and preventing tragic loss of life.
To continue strengthening the process and enhance statutory agencies’ responses to prevent the deaths of those involved in the sex industry, we are currently developing a refresh of our 2023 research. This updated research will identify new Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews, examine emerging trends and develop recommendations to improve agency accountability and response.
Action to better support women who sell sex, beyond 16 Days of Activism, means committing to systemic change. We are calling on decision–makers to listen to women, reflect their experiences in the development of policy and work alongside specialist support organisations to hear directly from women about the support they need.
by Amy Bowdrey,
Beyond the Streets’ Policy and Engagement Lead
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