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Prostitutes working on a busy Birmingham street have revealed the grim reality of selling sex to fund their drug habit.



Two working women have told how they solicit on a major route through Handsworth every night in search of customers - and their next hit.



Rape, robbery and attacks are commonplace for the Soho Road prostitutes, who admit they sometimes cry while having sex with clients.



And when they can't get enough cash to exchange for heroin and crack cocaine, they face a series of vile withdrawal symptoms.



One prostitute, who had worked in brothels, says she was forced to work on the streets instead after losing all her teeth due to drugs.



Broadcasting live on Facebook late at night on Soho Road this week, the Bearded Broz founder has lifted the lid on the taboo topic of prostitution. Bearded Broz is a community group which came into being during the city's bin strike - when they started clearing the streets themselves.



The working girls are traumatised by what they do - but must carry on to feed their drug addiction, it is revealed in a gripping interview with Imran Hameed.



For the women, it is all they've known through their adult lives as one admits having worked as a prostitute from when she was a schoolgirl.



Danielle reveals she has been selling sex for money since she was just 16-years-old. She is now 34.



"I started in brothels and escorting," she explains.





"Then I got addicted to drugs, it's a vicious circle. I was doing crack cocaine and heroin. I started to lose my teeth, my confidence and stuff.



"So then you can't work for the high class places anymore. I don't feel confident enough, then you're introduced to this."



In the video another woman repeats 'this' and gestures at Soho Road where they stand every night.



She too has been working the streets for a long time, revealing how for an entire decade, this has been her life.



"Just for the drugs"

(Image: Stock image)



When Imran asks if the women if they're doing it due to their drug addictions, the women agree and say, "yeah, just for the drugs."



Imran pushes further, asking if they are "enjoying" this and they immediately protest and say no.



They both admit relying on drink for courage before seeing clients.



The smaller prostitute then tells how she sometimes cries during sex with her customers.



She said: "Sometimes, I cry. Sometimes when I'm having sex with a customer, I'm crying and they can see I'm crying, but the dirty b****** just carry on."



Raped, attacked and robbed



Danielle adds to the horrific account of what they endure as prostitutes, revealing how she has been raped, attacked and robbed while soliciting on Soho Road: "Do you know what? I've been raped out here, attacked, I've been robbed.



"A couple of weeks ago I had my handbag robbed, I don't carry one now because they just keep getting robbed off you."

To add to the plethora of problems, the prostitutes also suffer from withdrawal symptoms when they do not make enough money for their drugs.





Shakes, sweats, cramps, sickness and being unable to walk were described among the symptoms they struggle with while working for their next hit.



But for them, this is the norm on a "popular" and "well-known" part of the city.



"It's so well known now, it's the norm - it's just everywhere you'll see there's loads of girls down this road.



"Everyone knows what we do, it's just normal."

"Sad reality of life"



Speaking to BirminghamLive about why he decided to interview the women, Imran said he wanted to raise awareness and "educate people" as he does with many other controversial topics.



He said: "These girls, obviously they're not enjoying what they're doing, they're doing it for a reason.



"And we're trying to educate people to say 'listen, instead of driving past these women and swearing at them - which we normally tend to do - stop and think why they're there.'



"They're there because they've got a custom. Because they're on drugs and they're feeding their habits."



"They are on the poverty line. This is the sad reality of life."



Imran adds that the women will make up to £100 a night by drawing in clients from Soho Road.



"The best thing about the location for them is that the customer is there and the dealer is there.



"So they get the money with one hand and exchange for the drugs with another - it's modern day pimping.

"There's no need for a pimp, they've already got the girls in control by giving them a drug like cocaine or heroin."



Imran said he often gives the women food from his food bank and works with them to raise awareness of the problems, so he knows exactly how the prostitutes operate.



The speed of the vehicle, he says, as well as eye contact is what alerts the women to the fact they have a client.



They will be driving no higher than 15mph to grab the girls' attention, and then they lay in wait around a corner.



As for the 'transaction' itself, the location will depend on what the customer wants, he adds.



"If its a case of oral, it would be round the corner, if it is sex - some of the girls make take them back to their place, or they may require to go round a few corners and pull over."



He adds that Coventry Road, Small Heath Park and Ladypool Road are also hotspots for prostitutes in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police have previously carried out operations to clamp on prostitution in the area.

Last year a police spokesman said: We fully understand residents do not want this type of behaviour on their doorstep and we are committed to tackling this issue in a hotspot area.

"We carry out regular operations to catch kerb crawlers - the majority of which we have found to be aged in their mid-20s to 30s.

"We can pursue court action against offenders or refer them to an education course; just two per cent of those who attend the course go on to re-offend.

"Sex workers are risking their own health and safety on the streets and we also work to steer them away from such behaviour.

"Those found soliciting are referred to a project offering sexual health and educational advice around the risks of being a sex worker. But if they are repeatedly found plying for business on the street they can be taken to court as a last resort."