Two universities in England have insisted they are not promoting prostitution after a sex workers’ support group was given a stall at its freshers’ fairs, despite the claims of the revolting feminist Julie Bindel.
Lecturers and students alike have defended the Sex Worker’s Outreach Project (SWOP), which had a stall at the fairs.
Following an outcry in sections of the media spurred by the vile Daily Mail columnist Julie Bindel, investigations have been launched by the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex into the appearance of Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) at both universities’ ‘freshers’ fairs’.
Bindel, a lesbian radical feminist, claimed that the group’s stall was “pimping the sex trade to women” and normalizing sex work.
However, lecturers, students and experts in the field of sex workers’ rights and safety have fully supported the organization’s work and denied that any kind of investigation was necessary.
Professor Alison Phipps, who lectures in gender studies, said: “There is no need for investigations by the Universities of Sussex or Brighton.
“SWOP provide support & care for students selling sex, and to suggest they are promoting the industry is ridiculous.”
Harm reduction
The Sex Worker’s Outreach Project is a scheme run by women’s charity Brighton Oasis, who help keep women working in sex work safe.
But for Julie Bindel — an alarmist and true fanatic — no amount of good done can ever outweigh her hardline ideology. Bindel wrote, “This is beyond disgraceful. It makes me so angry that the sex trade’s become normalized and pimped to women as though it is a harmless and respectable way to earn a living.”
A spokeswoman for the group said: “We have never idealized sex work but we understand why students may turn to it. We help students who are going to work in the industry, who can be very vulnerable, by offering advice on safety and legal issues via our anonymous helpline.”
Parker Robinson, a Vice-President of the University of Brighton’s student union, said: “It’s great knowing there are services available ready to help students through difficulties they might be experiencing.
“Obviously they are not suggesting people become sex workers, but rather they are supporting those who already are doing this kind of work, offering them advice and keeping them safe.”
According to figures published by SWOP, one in six students will do sex work or consider doing it to help pay for their studies.
A Leeds University study found that 49% of sex workers in the UK are “worried” or “very worried” about their safety and 47% have been targeted by offenders, and work carried out by Professor Phipps has shown that 81 per cent of sex workers surveyed had experienced violence.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, University of Brighton student Union president Tomi Ibukun said: “SWOP was at our freshers’ fair event to raise awareness of the specialist support they provide should it ever be needed.
“It is unfortunate that some people have misinterpreted the attendance.”
