This rights sheet aims to ensure that sex workers, no matter where we work, know the law, how to protect ourselves from arrest, how to defend ourselves if charged, and where to get help. Also, by making public how harsh and unjust the laws are and how they undermine our safety we hope to build support for the decriminalisation of prostitution.
The police can fingerprint you on the spot if they suspect you have committed an offence, and search you on the street if they suspect you are likely to commit an offence or, for example, are carrying illegal drugs.
You can use any name you want unless it is for an illegal purpose. You do not have to answer police questions. Get the name and number of the officers — you will need them if you want to make a complaint. Hearsay evidence, where the police say what they were told by anonymous people, is often used. Breaching some of these orders is a criminal offence.
In some cases you can get legal aid to challenge them. You only have 48 hours to do that, but you can go to court and ask for an adjournment while you prepare your case.
Women have won by challenging the police evidence. The orders last for three months. If you work with someone else in a flat you can be done for running a brothel, even if you are not there at the same time. Police have to prove that more than one person was providing sexual services for money. Get the police names and numbers. Work rotas, menus of sexual services, your name on the bills, texts, can all be used to incriminate you.
