I Marched Through London Last Night in Support of Britain's Sex Workers
Words: Frankie Miren
2014
Last night, I joined a march through Soho in support of sex workers. It's an area of London that—despite what the surveyors, developers, and local council might tell you—belongs to these people, and has done for much of the 20th century.
Other events were taking place across the world for International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, but in London the date seemed especially poignant, marking a year since one of the most cynical crackdowns on prostitution the country has seen— the police raids that took place on these streets last Christmas.
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The raids were playing on the marchers' minds, as were the 174 sex workers known to have been killed around the world in 2014, their lives commemorated with the candles we carried. However, the march was as much as a celebration as it was a vigil; sex workers have won some important victories this year and, for that, we sung sex work–themed Christmas carols.
