Meet the people helping Leeds women who are being forced back into 'sex work' to survive the cost of living crisis

Two organisations that support sex workers and those fighting addiction have seen a spike in demand for help as the economic crisis continues. Staff at Forward Leeds, one of the city’s leading addiction charities, and Basis, which supports sex workers, have spoken about the toll that the rising cost of living in Leeds has had on vulnerable people.

“It’s fair to say we’ve seen people return to sex work who have previously used our services because of the cost of living crisis," Becky Carroll, from Forward Leeds, told the YEP. "But I can imagine it’s hard for women to approach us again sometimes. Some of the women have children and there’s that fear that they will have them removed, and they may have experience with the care system themselves that has left them terrified to approach us.”

Amber Wilson, from Basis Leeds, said they had also seen some women "who have been working indoors" that had now got into debt and didn't know what to do. “We work to help them if they’ve got a massive arrear in energy costs or they’re at risk of losing their home," she said. "Because it’s these things that can tip women into addiction or push them to work on the streets which has more risks.”

Despite Leeds City Council pledging a "city-wide" plan to help sex workers after Holbeck’s legal red light district was paused in 2020, limited resources and laws are in place to protect sex workers, with the lack of regulations regarding pay one of the many issues yet to be tackled.

One woman, who has accessed the services provided by both Forward Leeds and Basis, told the YEP: “We’re in the middle of a cost of living crisis, and although sex work is legal there aren’t any regulations and safe places for people to work legally, and the wages haven’t gone up at all. Survivalist sex work is a massive issue at the moment and it’s all because of the wages and the stigma attached to [sex work]; we don’t want to be exploited by brothel owners jumping on the back of society’s ignorance.”

With sex working for survival on the rise, many women are being forced to hide what they have turned to for an occupation over the past year, leading to painful rifts between the women and their friends and family, according to the charities that support them.

"It’s very hard to live a life in secret, women tell us that," Ms Wilson said. “To fear that if you tell somebody, you’ll lose your friends, family or employment – it’s really hard. Hopefully that isn’t the case but unfortunately we do know that this isn’t an exaggerated risk.”

Despite the ongoing difficulties for sex workers, it is charities like Forward Leeds and Basis that are providing some relief to women across the city, offering them help in facing their challenges.

The woman supported by the organisations added: "The partnership between Forward Leeds and Basis really has been second to none. They have gone above and beyond for me and all the ladies and they don’t just offer harm reduction and support, they save lives.”