Hi,

Firstly I don't want to discourage anyone from calling the Police if they are in danger.  But I would just like to warn other escorts that in incidents I have been involved in I have found it best  to not tell the Police I am an escort. I know other escorts have had different responses to mine so I know it varies.

I was recently involved with a client who physically abused me and I called 999.  I was asked to give the name of the assailant but as I thought giving this information would exacurbate my beating I told the operator that I didn't know. (It was on a portable phone and he could hear what the operator was saying)

Then the operator told me to call back when I could remember his name and put the phone down on me! He proceeded to futher assault me until a neighbour knocked on the door.  Then he got scared and ran away. The police never came.

I was ringing from a landline so the operator knew the telephone number and address, (it comes up on their computer screens for everyone), and she could hear that I was screaming so I was curious as to her response.

The only thing I can say is that because of previous incidents the Police believe me to be a prostitute although they cannot prove it.  They kept saying to me, (in another unrelated investigation) "Is there something you want to tell us?"  I took that to mean that they wanted me to confess to being a prostitute.  Something I was not going to do under any circumstances.

I think that there may have been some note on the screen saying that I was a prostitute when I made the 999 call and the operator was not taking me seriously.  Otherwise I cannot account for her bizarre behaviour. She could hear me screaming and being beaten as I was making the call!

Also recently there was the story about the woman who the newspapers had called a prostitute in relation to the Wayne Rooney incident and she was trying to sue them by claiming she was not a prostitute.  The only evidence the newspaper could come up with to defend themselves was that she has told the police that she was a prostitute in a completely non-prostitute related incident that had been reported to them and in which she was a witness.

I am sure it was said to the Police, (and actually taken by them) in good faith but it came back to haunt her.  My advice is proceed with caution.

Luckily my injuries were not permanent and will not scar.  But I did spend the night in hospital because of the assault.

Take care,

Aspasia

Hi SW5,

I'd prefer not to say where the incident took place but it was not in the backwaters.

I am considering complaining and have a client who is a (very) friendly lawyer.  But I still wouldn't reveal to the Police that I am an escort.

I might just say it was a date....

I don't want to put people off calling 999 if they are in danger but getting the name of the assailant while your are being bashed around the head wouldn't have been, I would have thought, the highest priority.  (Sorry just being sarky!)

More importantly I have arranged some counselling over the incident as I am having emotional fall out now.

Thanks for your concern.

Aspasia

Btw does anyone know if the Police would have little notes on their computer about suspecting someone is a prostitute?  Is this likely or am I just being paranoid?

I would appreciate any feed back.

Aspasia

I'm sorry to hear what happened to you Aspasia. I'm really quite dismayed at the police's behaviour. It's reasons like that why ladies don't want to go to them in case they're judged.
Whilst I've never had to call the police for personal reasons, I have had to be involved with them on a couple of other escort-related matters, and I've been taken very seriously. Not to mention treated like a human being.

Whilst more police in certain areas are more and more sympathetic to our needs, there are some that still need to catch up with the times. Being an escort is not illegal and we do have the same rights as anybody else.

If you don't feel you were treated fairly I would certainly look at lodging a complaint.

if the Police would have little notes on their computer about suspecting someone is a prostitute?

Unfortunately, there's no easy way to be sure what's on their 'soft intelligence' (a fancy word for gossip) records - their systems are not included in the Freedom of Information laws, so you can't insist on being shown what's on your file (or being told if it exists).

But certainly this should not be the concern of the people answering the 999 calls. I'd only expect this sort of messing around if you've made a habit of calling 999 for no good reason.

It's probably worth contacting your local sex work project (the UK Network of Sex Work Projects will know who they are) and seeing who their police contacts are. They're usually committed to sex worker rights and can make a fuss about police failings from the inside.

Crimestoppers is running a campaign called Stop Dodgy Punters

Yes, that's right - they got a big pile of cash from the Home Office for this. It's been running for about six months now.

prefer not to say where the incident took place

Oops nearly forgot to ask: what's it like in Ancient Athens?

Aspasia I am sorry and disgusted that you were treated the way you were by the police. Personally I would make an official complaint. However I do appreciate that the reasons why you and others may feel unable to do so.

To give this thread an equal balance I would like to add that our parlour was robbed by an armed gang a couple of months ago and our local police were excellent. They acted very quickly, treated the girls and maids involved with respect and three of the gang involved are now on remand awaiting trial. And expected to be given custodial sentences.


I would advise anyone subjected to attack or robbery to contact the police, it may be helpful to have someone with them when doing so and in further contact to give moral support so as not to feel intimidated.