Now imagine how stressful this experience would be if you had no prior warning that your bank account would be frozen.
Becky Webster , a former NHS nurse, has had accounts closed or frozen by banks 15 times, and not due to fraudulent activity, but because of her job as a sex worker. Infuriatingly, this is not a rare event; sex workers often experience restricted access to their bank accounts, or are prevented from opening one in the first place. When most people think about discrimination against sex workers, they probably think of individuals being judged and called inflammatory names.
But this is just one aspect of a web of discrimination against sex workers that can have much more practical impact on our lives than an insult can. Not only does being locked out of your bank account stop you from paying bills and prevent you from purchasing amenities and luxuries , it also forces people into precarious situations.
Those arguing against legitimising sex work have often pointed out the dangers of sex work as the basis of their argument. And yet many fail to recognise that sex workers are constantly denied security and safety in society, more often by the society that refuses to legitimise our existence and we do exist, and pay bills and rent just like everyone else , than the clients that may cause us physical harm.
The more society delegitimises sex workers, the more they are in danger. What is the alternative road to legitimacy for sex workers? If their accounts are locked or denied when they independently sell their services, other than cash-in-hand work, the only alternative is to use sites like OnlyFans for a legitimate income. The existence of OnlyFans, and its huge surge in popularity during the pandemic, has helped legitimise sex work in the eyes of some, and for many myself included allowed us a safe platform.
