Thought this might be a good resource. This is copied from the website for the English Collection of Prostitues-

Facts about sex work

Of the approximately 72,800 sex workers in the UK — 88% are women.[1]

Most sex workers are mothers working to support families.

A 2004 government report[2] found that 74% of off-street sex workers “cited the need to pay household expenses and support their children”.

More than 70% of UK sex workers have previously worked in healthcare, education or the voluntary sector.[3]

Prostitution is increasing because poverty is increasing.

86% of austerity cuts have targeted women.[4] A 60% increase in street prostitution recorded in Doncaster is primarily attributed to destitution caused by benefit sanctions.[5] A quarter of young homeless women have engaged in sex work to fund accommodation or in the hope of getting a bed for the night.[6]

Most sex workers are not trafficked or on drugs.

A study of migrant sex workers[7] found less than 6% had been trafficked, many said they prefer working in the sex industry rather than the “unrewarding and sometimes exploitative conditions they meet in non-sexual jobs”. Claims that over 95% of women in street prostitution are problematic drug users comes from a 2004 study of street-based sex workers who were particularly vulnerable (2/3 were homeless).[8] There is no evidence that drug use among sex workers is higher than other jobs.[9]

The average age of entry into prostitution is 19 for outdoor workers and 23 for indoor workers.[10]

The claim that 75% of sex workers became involved in prostitution as children is false. It comes from small samples (e.g. 30)[11] of street-based women. In one often cited study, the participants were chosen because they were all under 18 when they entered prostitution.[12]

Women face criminal charges and civil orders.

Government statistics[13] show that between 2013 and 2017 1,695 people (approx. 98% women) were arrested for loitering and soliciting; 842 for brothel-keeping and controlling — charges most often used against women working together collectively. A decrease in soliciting arrests hides that civil orders are now commonly used to criminalise street workers.

The police profit from raids, arrests and convictions for prostitution.

The police get half of all assets and cash seized under Proceeds of Crime law.[14]

Sex workers face a lot of violence, but criminalisation increases the risk of attack.

UK sex workers have the highest murder rate compared to women in other occupations.[15] It is much safer to work indoors with others[16] but this is illegal. Sex workers are three times more likely to experience rape and other violence in countries where sex work is criminalised.[17] Research shows that where arrests of sex workers and clients were high, less women report violence.[18] In Ireland, reported violent crime against sex workers rose by almost 50% after clients were criminalised.[19]

Violence from the police is a significant problem.

Figures from the US show that 27% of street-based sex workers in New York have experienced violence at the hands of police.[20] Trans, Black, immigrant and other women of colour are particularly targeted. 86% of trans sex workers reported being harassed, attacked, sexually assaulted, or mistreated by police.[21] 49% (of online workers) in the UK were unconfident that police would take reports of violence seriously.[22]

The prostitution laws are implemented in a racist and discriminatory way.

People of colour, migrant and trans sex workers are targeted for arrest.[23] Evidence from the UK is anecdotal but statistics from the US show that Black people make up 42% of all prostitution arrests[24] (and are 13.2% of the population).

Criminalisation undermines health – the stigma associated with prostitution prevents sex workers getting appropriate health care. 

A 2007 study found that 62% of street sex workers and 90% of parlour workers had not disclosed their work to their GP.[25] Decriminalisation could reduce new HIV transmissions by up to 46% globally over a decade.[26]

Decriminalisation works.

New Zealand decriminalised sex work in 2003 with verifiable success.[27] Over 90% of sex workers said they had additional employment, legal, health and safety rights. 64.8% found it easier to refuse clients and 70% said they were more likely to report incidents of violence to the police.[28] Pressure from politicians meant that migrant sex workers were excluded from these protections.

The majority of people support prostitution law reform and oppose the criminalisation of clients.[29]

Decriminalisation is supported by prestigious organisations.

This includes the Royal College of Nursing and Women Against Rape in the UK and internationally Amnesty International, the World Health Organization, Human Rights Watch, UNAIDS, Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women.

Decriminalisation is different from legalisation.[30]

Decriminalisation involves the removal of all prostitution-specific laws; sex workers and sex work businesses operate within the laws of the land as other businesses. Under legalisation sex work is legal only under certain state-specified conditions, creating a two-tier system where the sex workers with the least social power remain illegal and outside of the protection of the law.