This is a report of stuff that can be witnessed anytime in certain areas of the city between 7pm and well into the early hours. These incidents occurred last night 22.07.03
Start your journey on Mappin Street, (off West Street) and, as you wander in a North-Eastly direction, try and avert your eyes from the desperate mess caused by the world of vice that people have fallen into - it's hard.
Once you've crossed the busy road at Brook Hill then down Beet Street, the unpleasantness really becomes unavoidable...
8.15pm It's still early and the first young woman seen selling her body is known to us and in her late 20's. She looks away trying not to be noticed, obviously ashamed of the business she's conducting but what choice is there for her since being desperately addicted to heroin or whatever else she can get her hands on over the last decade. A casualty of Sheffield's drug scene, attending some of the earliest house parties that went on in the city back in '92, Donna comes from what would be, statistically speaking, a comfortable background. Her Social Worker mother eventually washing her hands of her daughter because, in all honesty, how else can you help someone who's chosen this life of rack and ruin?
8.25pm Further down the road, towards Shalesmoor, the nightlife in this part of Sheffield is starting to emerge. Another woman very possibly younger than 16 years old, this time starts talking to us in a vain attempt to divert attention away from her suspicious loitering. Callously, she could be decribed as only half the person she once was. That wouldn't be to dismiss her but recognising instead the sadness of her existence, addled through whatever drugs gets her through her day, both cause and effect of tonight's activities. Her pretence doesn't fool us as to the reason for her being there, maybe she feels she covered herself but either way we don't give her chance to steer her idle conversation towards asking us if we want business. As we walk off, a Police patrol car pulls up to talk to her probably to do an age check.
10.15pm Bottom of Upper Allen Street, still only a handful of female street workers looking for business but this is not a busy place, the factories have closed for the day providing a workplace set for the evening away from the public's gaze. A car is waiting with two blokes in the front and a female sat in the back another guy hurries down to meet them, a transaction is taking place. Drugs and the subsequent nightly supply for/buying and selling of another young victim of this racket. The oldest profession in the world, they say, only these aren't professionals but hopeless addicts having to do whatever has to be done to get what they need. Every vehicle - saloon car or transit van - crawls the kerb in interest, it's still not that busy but this is still early. You don't have to be in any doubt as to what's going on here, even to the naieve and untrained eye it's the nature of this behaviour is clear, as to the specifics none of us can know the absolute detail unless we have the unfortunate position of being involved. The streets in this vicinity are desolate (apart from the activity we are witnessing) any community resistance has long since gone as the small estate of council flats up the road are now 90% empty, soon to be a building site where the shift stops as this one starts. Two Stratums of employment: one legitimate, one not; One of regeneration, one of desolation.
10.30pm A short while further up the road back on Beet Street skipping accross the road to Mappin Street where our journey began, the main trade commences for the next few hours. This is prostitution in one part of Sheffield.
Once you've crossed the busy road at Brook Hill then down Beet Street, the unpleasantness really becomes unavoidable...
8.15pm It's still early and the first young woman seen selling her body is known to us and in her late 20's. She looks away trying not to be noticed, obviously ashamed of the business she's conducting but what choice is there for her since being desperately addicted to heroin or whatever else she can get her hands on over the last decade. A casualty of Sheffield's drug scene, attending some of the earliest house parties that went on in the city back in '92, Donna comes from what would be, statistically speaking, a comfortable background. Her Social Worker mother eventually washing her hands of her daughter because, in all honesty, how else can you help someone who's chosen this life of rack and ruin?
8.25pm Further down the road, towards Shalesmoor, the nightlife in this part of Sheffield is starting to emerge. Another woman very possibly younger than 16 years old, this time starts talking to us in a vain attempt to divert attention away from her suspicious loitering. Callously, she could be decribed as only half the person she once was. That wouldn't be to dismiss her but recognising instead the sadness of her existence, addled through whatever drugs gets her through her day, both cause and effect of tonight's activities. Her pretence doesn't fool us as to the reason for her being there, maybe she feels she covered herself but either way we don't give her chance to steer her idle conversation towards asking us if we want business. As we walk off, a Police patrol car pulls up to talk to her probably to do an age check.
10.15pm Bottom of Upper Allen Street, still only a handful of female street workers looking for business but this is not a busy place, the factories have closed for the day providing a workplace set for the evening away from the public's gaze. A car is waiting with two blokes in the front and a female sat in the back another guy hurries down to meet them, a transaction is taking place. Drugs and the subsequent nightly supply for/buying and selling of another young victim of this racket. The oldest profession in the world, they say, only these aren't professionals but hopeless addicts having to do whatever has to be done to get what they need. Every vehicle - saloon car or transit van - crawls the kerb in interest, it's still not that busy but this is still early. You don't have to be in any doubt as to what's going on here, even to the naieve and untrained eye it's the nature of this behaviour is clear, as to the specifics none of us can know the absolute detail unless we have the unfortunate position of being involved. The streets in this vicinity are desolate (apart from the activity we are witnessing) any community resistance has long since gone as the small estate of council flats up the road are now 90% empty, soon to be a building site where the shift stops as this one starts. Two Stratums of employment: one legitimate, one not; One of regeneration, one of desolation.
10.30pm A short while further up the road back on Beet Street skipping accross the road to Mappin Street where our journey began, the main trade commences for the next few hours. This is prostitution in one part of Sheffield.
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