I was harassed by a group of prostitutes and pimps in Holbeck

May 30, 2019 | A residents eye view

I’ve lived in Holbeck over 20 years and last night was the scariest night of my life.  I’m retired now after running a newsagents in the city centre for many years.
Every week I meet up with a group of friends at The Holbeck Club.  We enjoy a few beers and have a natter.  Last night started off the same as usual, we had a good evening.  One of my friends gets a taxi home to avoid dealing with the prostituted women and pimps in the streets and he offered me a lift.  I declined as I prefer to walk home and get a bit of exercise.  I left the Club at 11.30pm and took my usual route that avoids most of the prostitution-related activity around the St Matthews community centre.  St Matthews is well away from the “managed area” but there are still lots of punters and prostitutes around there.

I hadn’t gone far at all, I hadn’t even reached Holbeck Moor, when a punter in a car dropped a woman off in the street near me.  She and I were walking in opposite directions towards each other.  I thought she’d just pass me by but she asked “Are you looking for business?”

I kept my head down and didn’t reply, just kept walking.  She changed direction and started following me, shouting at me “You don’t want business?  What’s wrong with you? Aren’t I good enough for you?” I thought the safest thing to do was keep quiet and keep walking.

“It was like a zombie apocalypse… people rising up in the darkness and walking towards me…”

Then, out of nowhere, a man appeared.  He joined in, shouting at me “Isn’t she good enough for you?” Now they were both after me!  The man looked Asian but he wasn’t… he started shouting out in another language, possibly Romanian.  His shouts drew other people out from the darkness.  People were appearing, also shouting in a language I could not understand.  Moving towards me.  It was like a scene from a zombie movie.  I couldn’t see them properly, I could only see their shapes coming closer.  That’s when I started to think I was really in trouble.

facts about Leeds managed zone for prostitution

Read about our campaign here

I decided to try and get through a small cul-de-sac nearby to escape but I hadn’t realised it was closed off at the end.  The people shouting at me seemed to know there was no escape for me.  Seven of them stood across the entrance to the street to make sure I could not escape. They were three foreign men and four white women.
I got out my phone and dialled 999, had to do it 3 times before I got it right!  My confusion with the phone meant they thought I was taking photos of them, then they heard me asking for the police.  Immediately they all ran away in different directions.  I was left alone wondering what on earth had just happened to me.
When I got home I went to the Save Our Eyes Facebook group and reported the incident there.  Another member told me there would be a consultation event for local elderly people today at St Matthews community centre.  So I went along this lunchtime.
Some of our ward councillors were there with police representatives.  We discussed residents issues with the managed approach while in small groups around tables.  The councillor on my table talked about the project as though it had been successful which confused me a little.

When the event finished I left the building around 1.15pm.  Straight away a prostitute approached me asking if I wanted business!  I was already talking to someone on my mobile phone so I ignored her and did not reply.  Then she started following me in the street shouting at me!  I turned around to go back to the meeting as some people were still there chatting.  I wanted the councillors to come out with me and see what was happening.  The woman followed me all the way to the door.  

Once inside, I saw the two councillors in the hall listening to a man talking.  I didn’t interrupt them, just waited a while to try and catch Councillor Gabriel’s eye.  When she saw me she lifted up her finger to her mouth and quietly went “Shhh…” so I knew not to talk.
I was furious and walked out of the building again.  It’s clear to me that if one pensioner can get harassed in the streets twice in 24 hours the managed approach is not working.  There are multitudes of pimps and prostitutes waiting to try and obtain money from local residents.  Until last night, I had not realised how many people lurk in the darkness in our residential areas waiting to prey on us.
This is a community safety issue.  We need urgent help to clear these predators from our streets. I no longer feel safe here and I know many other residents feel the same way.

Read about Sally here: 17 year old girl with special needs abducted & raped. Her attacker escaped conviction by claiming she was a prostitute

Helen’s 13 year old daughter was harassed by a punter. She explains, “The “managed approach” has made the punters and prostitutes much bolder than they were before.  Their attitudes towards the local residents can be shocking.  The sex industry are trying to claim the whole of Holbeck, not just the small area they have been allocated for the zone.”
Read their story here 

Strictly copyright Save Our Eyes 2019.  John was interviewed by SOE committee member, Paula, on 30th May 2019

Punter of the Week: Caught with his trousers down! YC60 CTK

May 22, 2019 | Punter of the Week

My goodness, what an exciting evening this young man has had in his black BMW YC60 CTK!  He picked up a prostitute in Holbeck and took her into a residential area to receive sexual services.

As you’d expect, he was caught in the act by a local resident! Our resident says “She had his tool out, his pants was down his ankles… and she was warming him up, shall we say, with her hand.  There was a jonny on his lap ready to go on.”

Ladies and gentlemen, we are sure you’ll agree this chap is a worthy recipient of our Punter of the Week award!

How the Managed Approach for Prostitution affects businesses and people working in Holbeck

Apr 7, 2019 | A residents eye view

“I work for a local engineering company.  I am seriously pissed off. Twice I have sent my engineers to Holbeck in the past week. And twice they have been propositioned by these ‘ladies’. They work bloody hard, my engineers and shouldn’t have to be hounded by prostitutes. First time there were two engineers in one van on their way to my house to pick something up. Second time it was my tanker driver. He stopped to wait for a break in the traffic because of the sheer size of the tanker and she climbed up on the ladders to offer him sex.”

“Any man is the target of unwanted offers of sex.  Prostitutes approaching them will often try to barter by offering lower and lower prices if a man declines.”

“I was walking down Garnet Road (not near the “zone”) one afternoon after visiting Monster Kids with my 8 year old daughter and 5 year old niece.  The business area on the left as we walked down had in the back area a prostitute injecting a man in the groin. My eight year old said “err mam what was that?”

“I work at the wharf on Neville street Leeds and walk down Water Lane from the Ingram gardens estate every morning and evening . There are now three of us (sometimes 4) meeting every evening to walk home together as each one of us has been approached by punters on our way home (may I add not until we reach the top of water lane / czsar street.)  I personally have been approached at 4.30 in the afternoon, out of the area and time for the zone, we’re all sick of it.”

“I was in my office at lunchtime when staff started calling me to come.  They had spotted a couple having sex outside.  On our land!  I ran outside with my camera and confronted them.  You can see my report to Save Our Eyes here.”

I don’t work in the zone but my shop is in Holbeck.  Due to the harassment and presence of prostitutes and pimps in the area I no longer feel safe to be in my shop alone. A man was stabbed and thrown on my shop steps on a Saturday afternoon. Due to prostitutes in the house next door we saw fights, swearing, drinking and inappropriate behaviour. As you can imagine I lost customers.
One Saturday lunch time, a man visiting my shop was flashed at by a drunk prostitute.  She was in the street without underwear, lifting up her dress to show passing men.

Even the churches are not safe.  A local resident told us about a prostitute who attended a local church to steal from the worshippers.

“Got to church, City Evangelical, this morning and sat at back with my son.  I noticed the woman in front of us had matted hair and was lolling back and forward in a state.  She had Layla tattooed across back of her neck.

She kept leaning forward with a jumper over her hands and trying to pickpocket coats of folks in front,  so a lady turned round and lent her the coat as she said she was cold. She passed out for rest of service in her seat.

We woke her with a cup of sugary coffee and she ate her body weight in apple pie, profiteroles and biscuits while people chatted with her, she said she was from Ireland. She was constantly looking around.  She got up and went to sit further forwards then put a ladies handbag under her cardigan and went for the exit.  As she passed me to leave I grabbed the strap of the bag and said she’d have to leave it and we had a brief tussle!  She let go and ran out. I returned the bag to its owner and called the managed approach dedicated number. 

A police officer on a bicycle came 5 mins later and said he’d just seen her down the road and sent a car to pick her up. It was a well known local prostitute.  The lady whose bag was taken wouldn’t press charges but police said they’d give her a talking to… where’s that bolt of lightning from the heavens when you need it?”

Discover how local children are affected by the “managed approach” here

Find out what day to day life is really like in Holbeck.  Read 24 hours in Holbeck: A day in the strife of local residents.

Read Jenni’s account of her year working as a prostitute in the “managed approach”

Our Mission:

Save Our Eyes campaigns for the rights of all Leeds residents whose lives are blighted by the “managed approach to prostitution” which is currently located in the Holbeck area and spreading to other parts of the city.

We aim to become a community where residents are not subjected to daily harassment from kerb crawlers, prostituted women, danger from discarded condoms, needles and sex industry litter.

We aim to see prostituted women freed from the grips of a drug addiction that was created to enslave them. We recognise that the women who are prostituted would rather lead different lives and we support their wishes to exit the sex industry.

Both sides in this dispute want the same outcome: a peaceful life free from prostitution and abuse.

Punter of the Week: Silver VW FG54 YAF: Sex outside the primary school

Punter of the Week: Silver VW FG54 YAF: Sex outside the primary school

Mar 26, 2019 | A residents eye view, Punter of the Week

Another “punter of the week” showing no respect for local residents.

A mother arriving to collect her children from a Holbeck primary school was shocked to find this man having sex in his car with a prostitute just metres from the school gate.  This was at 3.10pm as the children were due to finish school.

She says “I’ve lived in Holbeck 12 years and the problems with prostitution have never been as bad as they are now.  It’s getting worse.  I was so shocked to see this outside the school.”

Punters, please take prostituted women to your own homes.  Do not have sex in public, especially when children are due to walk past your car!

Your punter of the week prize can be collected from the customer services desk at Elland Road Police Station.

In this screen shot from the video the woman can be seen in a stripy top.  She’s on top of a man who is reclined in the drivers seat.

Read more about how the managed approach affects local children here

Our Mission:

Save Our Eyes campaigns for the rights of all Leeds residents whose lives are blighted by the “managed approach to prostitution” which is currently located in the Holbeck area and spreading to other parts of the city.

We aim to become a community where residents are not subjected to daily harassment from kerb crawlers, prostituted women, danger from discarded condoms, needles and sex industry litter.

We aim to see prostituted women freed from the grips of a drug addiction that was created to enslave them. We recognise that the women who are prostituted would rather lead different lives and we support their wishes to exit the sex industry.

Both sides in this dispute want the same outcome: a peaceful life free from prostitution and abuse.

What really goes on in the “managed approach for prostitution?”
Click here to discover the world of barepunting… but not while you’re eating your dinner…

Punter of the week: Public sex on private property

Punter of the week: Public sex on private property

Dec 18, 2018 | Punter of the Week

Another punter of the week!

Shocked staff at a Leeds office photographed this man leaving their premises after having sex outside with a prostituted woman on 17th Dec 2018.  If he works for you it might be worth keeping him in at lunchtime!

Private property in or near the managed approach should never be used for sex acts.  The MA operates only between 8pm and 6am.  For obvious reasons it does not operate during office hours! Please take prostituted women to your own home. 

Your punter of the week prize can be collected from the customer services desk at Elland Road Police Station.  

Our “Desperate Dan” goes forward as a candidate for the “Punter of the Year” competition.  Who will win?  The people will vote and the winner will be announced at a star studded ceremony in Leeds Town Hall next January!

International day to end violence against sex workers

Dec 17, 2018 | A residents eye view, Opinion

#Violence and organised crime are inextricably linked to #streetprostitution! 9 out of 10 prostituted women are unhappy and want to leave that life! Many prostituted women are victims of childhood trauma, child grooming, drug addiction, coercion & exploitation and trafficking. The only way to save the women trapped and save them from violence is to offer #rehabilitation and #enddemand #internationaldaytoendviolenceagainstsexworkers #drugaddiction #lovethyneighbour

Punter of the week – FT11 SWO – silver VW Golf

Dec 16, 2018 | A residents eye view, Punter of the Week

What kind of man pays for sex acts outside a child’s bedroom window at 9.15pm?  This one!

This week’s lucky, lucky winner of “Punter of the Week” is silver VW driver FT11 SWO.  He was caught by a local resident having a blow job in his car with a prostituted woman.

Our resident says “They were very relaxed as saw me walk past and didn’t stop. He had seat back so was in shadow but she had a pale fleece hood on her jacket.”

This was in a residential street where families live, opposite a child’s bedroom window.  Not any kind of discreet location or in the managed zone.  Please share to raise awareness that public acts of indecency are not permitted at any time.  Take women to your own homes, don’t park outside ours! 

Your punter of the week prize can be collected from the customer services desk at Elland Road Police Station.  

Our blow-job-eee goes forward as a candidate for the “Punter of the Year” competition.  Who will win?  The people will vote and the winner will be announced at a star studded ceremony in Leeds Town Hall next January!

Read more about how the managed approach affects local children here

Leeds City Council to debate the “Managed approach” & vote for the first time

Nov 6, 2018 | News

Over the last year Save Our Eyes has been working with various groups locally and across the UK to draw attention to the realities of the Managed Approach for Prostitution.  We have exposed the impact it has on residents and businesses in the area, as well as raising our concerns about the way vulnerable women are being exploited on the streets of Leeds.

facts about Leeds managed zone for prostitution

Read about our campaign here

We have received assistance from the Conservative group of councillors on Leeds City Council and we are delighted to announce that they have now tabled a White Paper to prompt a debate and vote at Leeds Civic Hall.  Most Leeds councillors are expected to attend this debate on 14th November 2018. A debate is something we have called for repeatedly because the managed zone was placed into Holbeck without a full debate of our city councillors. We are very grateful to Councillor Amanda Carter and others who have been able to make it happen.
The motion calls for Leeds City Council to immediately make the MA work as it was intended or suspend the project completely. We believe that the MA does not benefit the prostituted women it was designed to help, the residents or the businesses.  At the moment all sides are suffering.  This summer there have been another three attempted murders of prostituted women as well as the abduction and rape of a local teacher who was apparently mistaken for a prostitute by kerb crawlers.
We want to see a Leeds where modern slavery is tackled by helping victims who are trapped escape, not be “worked” more “safely.”  We want to see our communities freed from the kerb crawlers who persistently follow female residents and even ask children for sex in the streets.
We want the streets cleared of the pimps and drug dealers who threaten and intimidate residents.  The time has come to build a better Leeds, a fairer Leeds.  We call on all Councillors to oppose the Managed Approach – or be willing to move to Holbeck and live amongst the filth, fear and chaos.  According to LCC’s own figures, over 9000 used, discarded condoms have been collected from the streets and parks of Holbeck & Beeston Hill so far in 2018.  That’s around 1000 a month and gives an insight into why the residents and businesses here are so outraged that their views and safety have not been taken into account.

We intend to hold a peaceful vigil at Millennium Square outside Leeds Civic Hall from 4pm on 14th November 2018.  We call on all Leeds residents to stand in solidarity with the residents of Holbeck & Beeston Hill.  The Facebook event is here

Read “24 hours in Holbeck” to understand what life is like for residents here

Read the Yorkshire Post article here which includes an interview with Cllr Amanda Carter

“If all European countries would see prostitution for what it really is, that it is part of men’s violence against women and a form of modern slavery, we would have a much better chance of fighting this crime.”
Simon Häggström, Swedish Detective Inspector, Prostitution Unit

Our Mission:

Save Our Eyes campaigns for the rights of all Leeds residents whose lives are blighted by the “managed approach to prostitution” which is currently located in the Holbeck area and spreading to other parts of the city.

We aim to become a community where residents are not subjected to daily harassment from kerb crawlers, prostituted women, danger from discarded condoms, needles and sex industry litter.

We aim to see prostituted women freed from the grips of a drug addiction that was created to enslave them. We recognise that the women who are prostituted would rather lead different lives and we support their wishes to exit the sex industry.

Both sides in this dispute want the same outcome: a peaceful life free from prostitution and abuse.

A “dirty man” asked me for sex at the bus stop. I’m 13.

A “dirty man” asked me for sex at the bus stop. I’m 13.

Oct 22, 2018 | A residents eye view, News

Holbeck is one of the few places in the UK where men roam residential streets looking for sex 24 hours a day.  The “managed approach for prostitution” nearby has made them feel like they have the right to ask any woman and even children if sex is available for sale.  Katie is not the youngest of our residents to experience this…

“Hello!  My name is Katie and I’m 13 years old.  Me and my mum are so angry about what’s happening in Holbeck that we’ve agreed our story can be published by Save Our Eyes.
 
Last Saturday morning, we were at the bus stop on Domestic Street near Kasa.  It’s a residential area away from the “managed approach.” There’s a lot of prostitutes and dirty men who are looking for the prostitutes around there in the streets all the time.
 
A man came up to us and said “Are you working?”  My mum was confused and asked what he meant.  He replied “Not you! I mean her. Is she working?” and pointed at me.  My mum realised what he meant. She shouted at him “She’s only 13, she’s a child!” but he wasn’t even bothered.  He carried on, “It doesn’t matter about her age.  She looks like one (meaning a prostitute) she doesn’t look like a child.  It’s acceptable in Holbeck to ask.”
 
My mum was furious and I can’t even tell you what she shouted at him next.
As teenagers me and my friends often have encounters with prostitutes and dirty men while we are walking to and from school.  Sometimes we see them having sex or shooting up drugs in the streets.  I once saw a man having a blow job in the church yard on my way to school.  Sometimes residents get into arguments with prostitutes in the street, that can be quite frightening.
 
The walk to school became an experience to avoid.  It should only take me 15 min to walk there, but I can’t go the direct route as there are too many prostitutes and dirty men hanging about near the bridge.  So I have to walk to school the long way which takes me 25 minutes.  I set off for school at 7.15am.  The “managed zone” hours are from 8pm to 7am but the Police don’t check that the prostitutes and men have gone.  To be fair, they never actually go home!”
Katie’s mum, Helen, is still outraged by what has happened.
“I’ve lived in Holbeck since I was 15.  It used to be a lovely place, now we can’t go into the streets without being stopped by perverts looking for sex.  I’ve been stopped myself several times but Saturday was the first time I’d seen a man go after my daughter.
 
There have been times when young children pick up the used condoms left on the pavement. They think they are balloons because many of them are pretty colours.
I’ve complained to the Police several times in the past about sex acts I have witnessed or times I have been intimidated.  The “managed approach” has made the punters and prostitutes much bolder than they were before.  Their attitudes towards the local residents can be shocking.  As Katie described, the man who wanted to buy her on Saturday argued with me.  He felt he had a right to ask any woman in the area for sex.  He was not even in the zone.  The sex industry are trying to claim the whole of Holbeck, not just the small area they have been allocated for the zone.
 
Now the winter is coming, I’ll go out to meet Katie after school to walk her home.  It’s not safe for women to walk the streets after dark here.  Not far from here, a 12 year old girl saw a woman being raped on her way home from school a few weeks ago.  All parents here are concerned about their kids safety.”
Read Alice’s story: Abducted from outside my home & raped by men who insisted I was a prostitute.

Read more about how the managed approach affects local children here

Our Mission:

Save Our Eyes campaigns for the rights of all Leeds residents whose lives are blighted by the “managed approach to prostitution” which is currently located in the Holbeck area and spreading to other parts of the city.

We aim to become a community where residents are not subjected to daily harassment from kerb crawlers, prostituted women, danger from discarded condoms, needles and sex industry litter.

We aim to see prostituted women freed from the grips of a drug addiction that was created to enslave them. We recognise that the women who are prostituted would rather lead different lives and we support their wishes to exit the sex industry.

Both sides in this dispute want the same outcome: a peaceful life free from prostitution and abuse.

* Names have been changed but all other details are as told to Save Our Eyes on 22nd October 2018

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