Article written by Rosie McConkey from Cornerstone Church, Kingston.
Every Londoner, like you and I, walks past addresses where the sex industry is happening. It could be down a quiet residential road, in a busy block of flats or above a massage parlour. But most of us don’t meet the women inside. They are hidden in plain sight.
The women our team meet at these addresses are from a range of backgrounds and nationalities, and a whole host of complex reasons keep them there.
BESIDE is a group of volunteer women from Co-Mission (based in Kingston) who have a shared passion to reach out to women who find themselves working in the local sex industry. Jesus’ example to seek and love those on the margins of society drives us.
London is a city where sex work is particularly prevalent. Central London has its known hot spots, but this industry spreads everywhere, even to the leafy suburbs where it can take different forms and be hard to discover. The women we meet can be regularly moved around the country so that they don’t form connections with the outside world and are easier to control.
Due to the nature of the industry, these women are at high risk of exploitation. That may have been the reason they entered the work, but the exploitation may have taken place earlier in their lives and the risk also comes with the daily work.
Often language barriers, shame, coercion or the nature of the work keep these women incredibly isolated. It can therefore be hard for the women to reach out for help or support. They may have health problems, dental needs or more serious problems, yet they often don’t know who to trust or where to go for help.
Our team seek to listen and offer practical support to each individual we meet. Often it is as simple as handing over some home-baked brownies and letting them know we are there if needed. It could be showing them how to order a sexual health kit. It may even be just the loving impact of being seen and not judged. Jesus met individuals where they were. He didn’t ask them first to come out of their situations in order to be loved. He went out of his way to seek and serve the broken and lost and offer the hope that is only found in him.
In addition to visiting the women, the engine room of our ministry is the faithful prayer team who commit to the spiritual battle over these women by lifting them up in prayer. We are acutely aware that we cannot take a single step in this ministry without God going before us. He opens the doors and works the miracles.
We know ultimately that only Jesus can provide true freedom. As a team, we follow Jesus’ example to persevere in love and practical service, turning up to knock even when often the door may not open.
Small gestures can lead to lasting impact. As one woman told us, ‘Thank you for all you do for us.’
If you are interested in finding out more or want to get involved, please email hello@beside.me.uk.