Attacks on prostitutes 'ignored'

Street walkers at more risk than those working from saunas and flats

The high level of abuse against prostitutes often goes unchallenged because society ignores it, scientists have warned.

Researchers from Glasgow University found that half of all prostitutes working on the streets and a quarter of those working in saunas or flats were routinely attacked by clients.

Attacks ranged from slapping, punching and kicking to rape, strangulation, stabbing and kidnapping.

Senior researcher Dr Marina Barnard, from the Centre of Drug Misuse Research, said the problem will not be tackled until society changes the way it views prostitutes.

Some clients feel that they have carte blanche to do what they like and feel that they will not be prosecuted

Dr Marina Barnard

She said that until this happens, clients will not moderate their brutality as they know that in most cases their attacks will not be challenged.

"Clients probably feel that attacks on prostitutes are not often reported and the public perception is that this is something that goes with the role of being a prostitute.

Shocking figures

"Some clients feel that they have carte blanche to do what they like and feel that they will not be prosecuted."

Dr Barnard said her shocking figures would be handed over to the police and she called for action to stop the attacks.

"Unless we are prepared to pursue clients, they will continue to think they can continue with this," she said.

Dr Barnard and her team tracked 240 female prostitutes in Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

In the study, published in the British Medical Journal, the researchers discovered that only 34% of prostitutes attacked actually reported the crime to police - most of these were those working indoors.

But half of those working outside and 26% of those working indoors had been attacked in the last six months.

Working the streets

They found that there tended to be more attacks on the outdoors workers, of whom 47% were slapped, punched and kicked; 27% were beaten; 22% had been vaginally raped and 20% kidnapped or strangled.

They also found that prostitute working the streets were generally younger than those working indoors.

They tended to be more at risk of prolonged and frenzied attacks and more likely to be taking drugs than those working indoors.

Out of those working indoors, 74% said they had turned to prostitution as a way of meeting household expenses and bringing up children - this was only true for 28% who worked on the streets.

Street workers tended to turn to prostitution to fund their drug habits.