Report sex worker activities

A sex worker is someone who engages in sexual activity in exchange for money or other compensation. It is legal in the UK for a person to buy sexual services or work as a private sex worker or escort.

The following related activities are illegal:

• for a sex worker to loiter or conduct solicitation in a street or public place
• kerb crawling (wait for or solicit business in a street or public place, including in a vehicle)
• pimping (controlling sex workers for financial gain)
• keeping a brothel (a place used for the purpose of sex work. It is an offence for a landlord, tenant or anyone else to be involved in the running of a brothel)
• advertising the services of call girls by placing cards in phone boxes
• having sex in public

When reporting activities, try to provide any:

• names
• addresses or locations
• ages or age ranges
• number plates, if any vehicles are involved
• details as to why you suspect sex work has taken place

Advice and support for sex workers

• One25 reaches out to women who are street sex-working in Bristol. They support them to move from crisis and trauma towards independence in the community.
• National Ugly Mugs (NUM) is a UK-wide charity working with sex workers to do research, design and deliver safety tools and to provide support services to people in adult industries.
• Beloved offer a friendly, non-judgemental and confidential service for women working in the indoor sex industry in Bristol and surrounding areas.

There is also guidance and support listed on our support for victims of rape and sexual assault page.