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Selling Sex to Survive

Duration: 1 hour

First broadcast: on BBC One Wales HDLatest broadcast: on BBC One Wales

Delving into an underground world, this powerful documentary follows the stories of women who have little choice other than to 'sell sex to survive'. Film-makers Chris Rushton and Tracy Harris reveal the reality of life for those in the brothels and on the streets of Cardiff, Newport and Swansea, struggling to escape from prostitution.

Emily once had a happy home and family but a series of traumatic events led to a breakdown, which resulted in her turning to
drugs and prostitution. She doesn't want anyone to go down the same path she took - 'Working on the streets, there's lots of money, lots of drugs, lots of fun, lots of boys, but it's a horrible, horrible, life'. As a teenager, Alexandra went off the rails and got caught up in drugs. One of the reasons she wants to exit street prostitution is because of a dramatic fall in the price for sex. She said; 'You get customers that used to pay £30/40 but now they do girls for £10 all in'. Now, she wants to stop working the streets and change her life. Brothel worker Sorina earns enough money in Wales to support her entire family in Romania, but sex work is taking its toll - 'In here, in this job you must be a very cold woman, without thinking, without heart, without nothing'. Filmed over six months, this surprising testimony shines a spotlight on the harsh reality of prostitution which could be in any city across the nation. Show less

Contributors

Executive Producer:
Chris Rushton
Producer:
Tracy Harris
Director:
Tracy Harris

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