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I am a sex worker

It can be hard enough for anyone to talk about sexual assault, and to get in touch with the services and the support they need. For some groups and communities, it's even harder.

Rape and violence are serious crimes, and you are entitled to report them to the police. You are also entitled to counselling, medical attention and the other services and supports described in these fact sheets.

There is an assumption that sex workers are available for sex all the time, so when they report sexual assault, they've been treated as though they were 'asking for it' because of their work, or told to accept the rape as part of the job.

Remember:

• If you are forced to have any kind of sex against your will, it is rape, whether it is done by a stranger, a friend, your partner, your husband, or a client.
• It is rape whatever kind of work you do.
• Sex workers have the same legal, medical and social rights as anyone else.

Who does it?
Most people are unaware that sex workers-like other victims of sexual assault-are more likely to be raped by partners or friends than by clients. People who work on the street, including transgender workers, are more likely to be violently attacked and abused by clients than are workers in brothels, private homes or escort agencies.

Going to the police
If you decide to report the assault to the police, consider taking a support person with you to the station. It may be easier to be assertive about your rights and to tell your story if someone you trust is there. A Sex Workers Outreach Project worker or sexual assault worker may be available.

The police also have sex worker liaison officers-ask if one is available. The police department, to 'foster mutual understanding between the police service and sex workers' now employs these officers. They are specially trained to support sex workers.

Sexual assault in sex work
It's sexual assault when:

• A client forces you to continue having sex when you've told him you don't want to;
• You're forced physically, or with threats or intimidation, to provide any sexual service to a client, boss, or minder;
• You're forced to do or have oral sex done to you;
• Any part of your body is penetrated by an object; hand, tongue or penis without your consent (Sex Workers Outreach Project, Nine Lives: surviving sexual assault in the sex industry).

At work, being pressured or forced into any form of sexually related activity that you would not otherwise agree to is sexual assault. So is being pressured to have sex without a condom.

Safety
If you've been attacked, you could be worried about your safety when you go back to work. Talk to other workers about measures such as letting someone know the number plate of a client's car, how long you expect to be and so on.

Getting help
Counsellors at the NSW Rape Crisis Centre and sexual assault services won't make judgements about your work if you decide to tell them about it. Workers from the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) can also give you advice and support. You can call the NSW Rape Crisis Centre for referral to support services, 24 hours a day.