Sidney Ford is the executive director of You Are Never Alone, a Baltimore City outreach organization that provides food, clothing and temporary shelter for prostitutes. Ford spends nights on street corners teaching women basic self-defense techniques and provides up-to-date information on what police are doing to protect them.
Four years ago, there was a similar string of violence against prostitutes, including several murders. Do you think enough was done then to solve the crimes?
The police actually approached us to let us know there have been several killings, and they had a description of someone who was a suspect. We put that description on fliers and then let everybody know this particular individual might be dangerous. Everyone worked very hard and did what they could.
The strangling of Nicole Sesker — the stepdaughter of former Police Commissioner Leonard Hamm — seemed to focus attention on violence against prostitutes. Why is that?
Largely, these women are invisible. They’re not noticed, because they are vulnerable. Many people don’t consider the violence and danger these women face, because it is not a world within their frame of reference.
How often are prostitutes assaulted?
I would say upward of 90 percent of women have experienced a violent assault. They are regularly threatened with knives, tied up and beaten, and sometimes strangled.
They are completely vulnerable, because they are poorly defended. Attackers are much better armed. The women find it hard to defend themselves because of their addiction and past history of abuse.
What needs to be done?
People need to go out to where the women, men and children are being exploited. We need to make sure there are resources to help them. The latest round of killings and the excellent response says there has been a change — that crimes against women involved in prostitution are being taken seriously.
