:00:07. > :00:23.Why couldn't Kent and Sussex cope in the floods? We have a special
:00:24. > :00:39.report. The secret underground town of
:00:40. > :00:41.Ramsgate in World War II. And when prostitutes are victims of
:00:42. > :00:45.crime. I'm Natalie Graham with untold
:00:46. > :00:47.stories, closer to home. From all round the South East, this hs Inside
:00:48. > :01:09.Out. Hi, I'm at Rock`a`Nore in Hastings
:01:10. > :01:16.where the recent bad weather actually brought down the cliffs
:01:17. > :01:18.last week. And there are plenty of people who
:01:19. > :01:20.think that is the perfect mdtaphor think that is the perfect mdtaphor
:01:21. > :01:23.for what happened to the electricity for what happened to the electricity
:01:24. > :01:31.network over Christmas. But as the clear up continues the question is,
:01:32. > :01:43.what went wrong? And what if it happens again? Vince Rogers reports.
:01:44. > :01:51.It was the night before the night before Christmas in Faversh`m.
:01:52. > :01:57.before Christmas in Faversham. Electricity failed.
:01:58. > :02:00.The electricity suppliers s`y Electricity failed.
:02:01. > :02:02.The electricity suppliers say that The electricity suppliers s`y that
:02:03. > :02:13.Kent and Sussex were the hardest hit. Their engineers dealt with more
:02:14. > :02:15.than 1300 incidents involving more than 200,000 customers.
:02:16. > :02:21.This was one of them. I decided than 200,000 customers.
:02:22. > :02:23.This was one of them. I dechded to This was one of them. I dechded to
:02:24. > :02:24.keep a diary of all the events as they unfolded.
:02:25. > :02:28.Spoke to Craig. Puts me on hold. Spoke to Craig. Puts me on hold.
:02:29. > :02:37.After five minus the line w`s cut After five minus the line was cut
:02:38. > :02:41.off. Some of the energy companies did not
:02:42. > :02:51.have enough the Pope for an emergency response. `` some of the
:02:52. > :03:06.energy companies did not have enough employees for an emergency response.
:03:07. > :03:11.It is not acceptable. UK power networks declined to be
:03:12. > :03:14.interviewed. But they point out that most homes were restored quickly and
:03:15. > :03:24.most homes were restored quhckly and that many employees gave up their
:03:25. > :03:31.Christmas holidays to help out. The companies think they did not do as
:03:32. > :03:35.badly as has made out. They do not control the weather.
:03:36. > :03:41.They do not control the weather They control how they respond to it.
:03:42. > :03:42.One of the networks has admitted One of the networks has admitted
:03:43. > :03:45.that they should not have ldt so that they should not have ldt so
:03:46. > :03:53.many people go on holiday. I was many people go on holiday. H was
:03:54. > :04:00.advised that an engineer had been assigned the job.
:04:01. > :04:05.The storms had different people in different ways. This was thd
:04:06. > :04:05.The storms had different people in different ways. This was the River
:04:06. > :04:17.different ways. This was thd River Medway on Christmas Day.
:04:18. > :04:33.Further downstream. Christmas Day was worse. People were
:04:34. > :04:41.warned to get off their boats. This is the level of my boat. Th`t
:04:42. > :04:43.warned to get off their boats. This is the level of my boat. That window
:04:44. > :04:51.was looking out onto the top of that tree. But what happened in the
:04:52. > :04:53.south`east was different to the storms that have been battlhng the
:04:54. > :04:58.storms that have been battling the rest of the country.
:04:59. > :05:05.There was lots of rain that caused localised flooding. We have had
:05:06. > :05:15.localised flooding from surface water. That is similar to what we
:05:16. > :05:22.saw in 2007. Phoned three times. Just got Ackroyd
:05:23. > :05:26.voices speaking. No wonder spoke to me.
:05:27. > :05:30.This professor says that one of our This professor says that ond of our
:05:31. > :05:33.priorities should be to makd our electricity supply waterproof.
:05:34. > :05:37.Is that easy to do? It is rdlatively Is that easy to do? It is relatively
:05:38. > :05:40.easy to do. Move the equipmdnt Is that easy to do? It is rdlatively
:05:41. > :05:45.easy to do. Move the equipment off easy to do. Move the equipment off
:05:46. > :05:58.the ground. Some of the measures can be as
:05:59. > :06:03.simple as that. Building thresholds at our slightly higher level could
:06:04. > :06:06.make a big difference to how resilient communities are to
:06:07. > :06:14.flooding. Worldly electricity companies do that? You cannot
:06:15. > :06:20.prepare for every eventuality. There is a trade off between resilience
:06:21. > :06:24.and cost. At Gatwick airport be built in flood
:06:25. > :06:26.defences for the South termhnal but defences for the South termhnal but
:06:27. > :06:31.not the North terminal, because they not the North terminal, bec`use they
:06:32. > :06:34.were advised that a flood there would be rare. But it did flood,
:06:35. > :06:39.would be rare. But it did flood resulting in chaos. We need to wake
:06:40. > :06:40.up to the fact that with clhmate up to the fact that with climate
:06:41. > :06:47.change this will be more frdquent. change this will be more frdquent.
:06:48. > :06:59.Back in Faversham... It is good news. Power switch on.
:07:00. > :07:12.Lights working. After 169 hours power is restored.
:07:13. > :07:15.Do you feel there is a lack of a sense of urgency? There is `lways
:07:16. > :07:15.Do you feel there is a lack of a sense of urgency? There is always a
:07:16. > :07:19.sense of urgency? There is `lways a sense of urgency when we experience
:07:20. > :07:29.flooding. Will the day come when we are
:07:30. > :07:56.prepared for any weather? Vince Rogers reporting. Coming up on
:07:57. > :08:06.Inside Out: Is enough being done to help prostitutes who are victims of
:08:07. > :08:13.crime? I remember his weight on top of me. I cannot remember his face.
:08:14. > :08:17.Now, most people will think of Dover as being the most important town on
:08:18. > :08:20.the front line in Kent during World War II. But just along the coast is
:08:21. > :08:21.Ramsgate which also played ` War II. But just along the coast is
:08:22. > :08:23.Ramsgate which also played a huge Ramsgate which also played a huge
:08:24. > :08:26.role in the defence of the country. And yet many of the town's wartime
:08:27. > :08:42.secrets lie buried and forgotten deep below the ground.
:08:43. > :08:45.You could go all over Ramsgate You could go all over Ramsg`te
:08:46. > :08:47.underground. If you couldn't go outside you went underground.
:08:48. > :08:51.Everyone felt that sort of comfort when they were down here, that they
:08:52. > :08:53.were safe because of the depth of the tunnels.
:08:54. > :08:55.They put signposts up underneath. There were signposts there to King
:08:56. > :08:58.Street, Queen Street, Bound`ry Road, Street, Queen Street, Boundary Road,
:08:59. > :09:03.where the different entrances were. Everybody was chatting as though
:09:04. > :09:09.they were in the street. 60 feet underneath the town of
:09:10. > :09:11.Ramsgate is this network of tunnels. We're in a labyrinth which hs three
:09:12. > :09:15.and a half miles long and during the and a half miles long and during the
:09:16. > :09:23.war this became a refuge, a secret underground town which saved the
:09:24. > :09:27.lives of many people. The tunnels were dug in just nine
:09:28. > :09:29.months, at the beginning of the Second World War using mostly picks
:09:30. > :09:36.and shovels and provided shdlter for and shovels and provided shdlter for
:09:37. > :09:37.26,000 people. They have bedn abandoned for 75 years but Phil
:09:38. > :09:41.Spain and the Ramsgate Tunndls Team Spain and the Ramsgate Tunndls Team
:09:42. > :09:53.has been working on a project to restore them.
:09:54. > :09:54.Ramsgate's geology allowed a plan restore them.
:09:55. > :09:56.Ramsgate's geology allowed ` plan to Ramsgate's geology allowed a plan to
:09:57. > :09:58.build two and a half miles of tunnels around the town which would
:09:59. > :10:01.link up with this former railway link up with this former rahlway
:10:02. > :10:03.tunnel. Initially they couldn't get permission from the governmdnt
:10:04. > :10:04.because it was against government policy. But they kept putting
:10:05. > :10:06.forward this case and the mayor of forward this case and the mayor of
:10:07. > :10:10.Ramsgate at the time, ABC Kdmpe Ramsgate at the time, ABC Kdmpe
:10:11. > :10:12.took up the cause. He was known as the Mad Mayor. He pushed this
:10:13. > :10:15.the Mad Mayor. He pushed thhs project for the tunnels really hard
:10:16. > :10:17.and eventually he won permission for them to be dug. At that time they
:10:18. > :10:19.them to be dug. At that timd they were the only civilian tunnels
:10:20. > :10:25.were the only civilian tunndls sanctioned by central government.
:10:26. > :10:26.They refused everybody else. The tunnels were soon to prove their
:10:27. > :10:31.worth. Saturday August 24 1940 The tunnels were soon to prove their
:10:32. > :10:31.worth. Saturday August 24 1840 was The tunnels were soon to prove their
:10:32. > :10:31.worth. Saturday August 24 1940 was a worth. Saturday August 24 1840 was a
:10:32. > :10:33.day that's etched on the memory worth. Saturday August 24 1940 was a
:10:34. > :10:33.day that's etched on the melory of day that's etched on the memory of
:10:34. > :10:44.many people who lived in Ralsgate. many people who lived in Ralsgate.
:10:45. > :10:47.They dropped 500 bombs in five They dropped 500 bombs in fhve
:10:48. > :10:49.minutes and it devastated complete areas of the town. But it dhdn't
:10:50. > :10:55.areas of the town. But it didn't kill a large number of people? No,
:10:56. > :10:56.no they all had time to get down in the shelters. 28 people were
:10:57. > :10:58.no they all had time to get down in the shelters. 28 people werd killed.
:10:59. > :10:59.So that Mad Mayor's plan really the shelters. 28 people were killed.
:11:00. > :11:14.So that Mad Mayor's plan re`lly came So that Mad Mayor's plan really came
:11:15. > :11:17.into its own very early on? Over a 1,000 houses were destroyed during
:11:18. > :11:21.what became known as the murder raid and hundreds of people moved into
:11:22. > :11:27.the tunnels permanently. Marjorie Woodward was 17 in 194 and
:11:28. > :11:30.was training to be a teacher. For one of her assignments she wrote
:11:31. > :12:10.about the families who lived in the tunnels. They did not want to leave
:12:11. > :12:12.the tunnel. The main tunnel was a disusdd
:12:13. > :12:15.railway tunnel which had a mainline railway tunnel which had a lainline
:12:16. > :12:23.down the middle, but quite ample space each side. It was these that
:12:24. > :12:27.became the tunnel town. At first there were benches in the tunnel and
:12:28. > :12:36.people slept on those and then they took deckchairs and cushions and
:12:37. > :12:38.then camp beds. At that time most of the chhldren
:12:39. > :12:39.At that time most of the children from Ramsgate were evacuated, but
:12:40. > :12:42.the ones that stayed at home lived the ones that stayed at homd lived
:12:43. > :12:46.in the tunnels. Marjorie relembers that there wasn't school for 18
:12:47. > :12:49.months, and the children, who were left to run wild, were
:12:50. > :12:52.affectionately known as tunnel rats. And Gwendolyne Langridge was one of
:12:53. > :12:55.those children. She was 12 xears old and lived in the tunnel for two
:12:56. > :12:57.years. We used to sleep down there because
:12:58. > :13:00.we were getting disturbed nights. we were getting disturbed nhghts.
:13:01. > :13:05.And it wasn't good for us. And we were getting disturbed nights.
:13:06. > :13:05.And it wasn't good for us. @nd so we were getting disturbed nhghts.
:13:06. > :13:07.And it wasn't good for us. And so we And it wasn't good for us. And so we
:13:08. > :13:12.used to stay but in the morning Mum and Dad came up because he had to go
:13:13. > :13:18.to work, but us children stayed and we had a wonderful time. We used to
:13:19. > :13:22.go up to Dumpton Park Drive. It had a lot of steps up to that one and it
:13:23. > :13:25.had an air raid warden's post at the top and he used to say, "Whdre are
:13:26. > :13:28.top and he used to say, "Where are you kids going?" "Oh we're just
:13:29. > :13:30.going out for some fresh air, so we're just going to stand at the
:13:31. > :13:33.top." And then popped down again. we're just going to stand at the
:13:34. > :13:34.top." And then popped down `gain. We top." And then popped down `gain. We
:13:35. > :13:44.were like rabbits. Elsie Stygale was 18 in 1940 and she
:13:45. > :13:52.remembers one particular man who lived down in the tunnels for longer
:13:53. > :13:57.than the others. His name was Shell. We called him
:13:58. > :14:01.Shell, I think, because he was shell shocked from the First World War.
:14:02. > :14:05.When the war broke out he w`s When the war broke out he was
:14:06. > :14:10.terrified so he went down into the tunnels and stayed there. And people
:14:11. > :14:14.used to take him down food, fish and chips, bring his washing up and do
:14:15. > :14:18.his washing for him. And he didn't come up for about four years. And
:14:19. > :14:23.then they managed to persuade him to come up. "It's all over, Shell.
:14:24. > :14:28.There is nothing happening, it's all finished." And he walked up lots of
:14:29. > :14:35.steps to come up. And he got to the top of the steps and dropped down
:14:36. > :14:39.dead. Soon the tunnels were the talk of the town. There's reports in
:14:40. > :14:40.papers around the world of how good the tunnels were, and people,
:14:41. > :14:40.papers around the world of how good the tunnels were, and peopld, famous
:14:41. > :14:44.the tunnels were, and people, famous people, came to visit, just to see
:14:45. > :14:48.what it was all about. Perh`ps the most famous was the Prime Minister,
:14:49. > :14:51.Winston Churchill. He came to Ramsgate to inspect the dam`ge on
:14:52. > :14:57.the August 24th raid, and actually got caught up in another attack. He
:14:58. > :15:01.had to take shelter in the tunnels. Right, so if it wasn't for these
:15:02. > :15:06.tunnels, we might not of had Churchill! Quite possibly! He was
:15:07. > :15:09.told by our rather flamboyant Mayor to put his cigar out before he
:15:10. > :15:11.entered, because there was no smoking. So he was put in hhs
:15:12. > :15:12.entered, because there was no smoking. So he was put in his place.
:15:13. > :15:14.smoking. So he was put in hhs place. # Forget your troubles, come on, get
:15:15. > :15:16.# Forget your troubles, comd on get happy.
:15:17. > :15:21.# You better chase all your cares away #. Every year, the people of
:15:22. > :15:27.Ramsgate remember the 1940s with a wartime event on the seafront. And
:15:28. > :15:29.many people living here believe wartime event on the seafront. And
:15:30. > :15:30.many people living here belheve its many people living here belheve its
:15:31. > :15:35.unique history shouldn't be forgotten. I think we should be well
:15:36. > :15:37.known for our harbour rescuing forgotten. I think we should be well
:15:38. > :15:38.known for our harbour rescuhng so known for our harbour rescuing so
:15:39. > :15:50.many men from Dunkirk, and the tunnels which were able to house our
:15:51. > :15:52.population during a bad time. I would like to see them opendd again
:15:53. > :15:56.would like to see them opened again to encourage people. It could be,
:15:57. > :16:01.from an educational perspective, very good. And also, from a tourist
:16:02. > :16:09.attraction, it could revitalise Ramsgate. It is so unique. I'm not
:16:10. > :16:11.going to say I'd like to go through it again. I wouldn't. But I wouldn't
:16:12. > :16:23.mind living down the tunnel. Now, women in prostitution `re the
:16:24. > :16:25.group at highest risk of rape and other violence. Yet they're often
:16:26. > :16:27.afraid to report these crimds to other violence. Yet they're often
:16:28. > :16:29.afraid to report these crimes to the afraid to report these crimds to the
:16:30. > :16:33.police for fear of arrest themselves. Author and campaigner
:16:34. > :16:39.Ruth Jacobs, who used to work in prostitution herself, investigates
:16:40. > :16:40.what can be done in the south`east. I should warn you some viewers
:16:41. > :16:40.what can be done in the south`east. I should warn you some viewdrs may
:16:41. > :16:53.I should warn you some viewers may find parts of this film disturbing.
:16:54. > :16:58.My interest in the safety of sex trade workers isn't academic. Until
:16:59. > :17:05.15 years ago, I was a prostitute in 15 years ago, I was a prosthtute in
:17:06. > :17:08.London. Even though I didn't know it at the time, the trauma of
:17:09. > :17:13.prostitution would always remain with me. Recourse to justicd
:17:14. > :17:14.prostitution would always rdmain with me. Recourse to justice after
:17:15. > :17:16.with me. Recourse to justicd after being the victim of a violent crime
:17:17. > :17:17.is extremely rare for people being the victim of a violent crime
:17:18. > :17:19.is extremely rare for peopld in is extremely rare for people in
:17:20. > :17:25.prostitution, as it was for me when I was in the sex trade. My report of
:17:26. > :17:29.rape was ignored, and that's the case for many others like md.
:17:30. > :17:34.Amanda, whose name we've changed, was raped by a punter who rdfused to
:17:35. > :17:36.wear a condom. When I met her, she'd just stopped working as a c`ll
:17:37. > :17:36.wear a condom. When I met hdr, she'd just stopped working as a call girl,
:17:37. > :17:42.just stopped working as a c`ll girl, from Eastbourne to Southampton. I
:17:43. > :17:48.said, "Look, here's the protection. Put the condom on." But then all I
:17:49. > :17:52.remember after that is just flashes. I remember saying no. And I remember
:17:53. > :17:57.his weight on top of me. I can't even remember his face. I ndver ever
:17:58. > :18:00.fought back because he was a big, fat, disgusting, greasy man, and I
:18:01. > :18:04.knew if I went to the police, all they'd think is, "You were there for
:18:05. > :18:09.sex anyway, so what difference does it make?" But I never told anyone,
:18:10. > :18:13.because I thought, "Who's going to believe a prostitute?" I'd heard so
:18:14. > :18:17.many times that, the thing hs, if you rape a prostitute, it's just
:18:18. > :18:19.shoplifting. Oh, God, I haven't even heard that before. Amanda s`ys
:18:20. > :18:19.shoplifting. Oh, God, I havdn't even heard that before. Amanda says that
:18:20. > :18:22.heard that before. Amanda s`ys that when she reported the rape, it was
:18:23. > :18:28.never investigated properly by the police. Did they do anything to
:18:29. > :18:32.pursue the rapist? No. It w`s probably a year after the incident.
:18:33. > :18:35.They sent me the rape alarm by post. They sent me a leaflet for domestic
:18:36. > :18:39.abuse ` help, support in that respect, but they never phoned me.
:18:40. > :18:43.They never contacted. They never asked me anything about what had
:18:44. > :18:44.happened. But, because you were in prostitution, you get a rapd
:18:45. > :18:44.happened. But, because you were in prostitution, you get a rape alarm,
:18:45. > :18:48.prostitution, you get a rapd alarm, and the other women get all this
:18:49. > :18:51.other stuff. That's how it feels, anyway. It makes me feel like I'm
:18:52. > :18:57.anyway. It makes me feel like I m not human. It makes me feel that I'm
:18:58. > :19:04.not entitled to the same level of care and respect as anybody else.
:19:05. > :19:09.There's one part of the country where they are doing things
:19:10. > :19:12.differently. Merseyside. Until seven years ago the same distrust had
:19:13. > :19:18.existed between people in the sex trade and the police. I want to find
:19:19. > :19:23.out about the initiative whhch turned the tide on violence against
:19:24. > :19:26.people in the sex trade. Merseyside Police Detective Tracy O'Hara
:19:27. > :19:32.regularly patrols the areas where women in street prostitution
:19:33. > :19:37.operate. I only work at the nick over there, I'm going back on duty
:19:38. > :19:41.now. So I can get a car and come and make you safe and get you somewhere.
:19:42. > :19:43.My role is to keep people s`fe and is to protect people. I'm not there
:19:44. > :19:45.to put her in a car and take is to protect people. I'm not there
:19:46. > :19:46.to put her in a car and takd her is to protect people. I'm not there
:19:47. > :19:48.to put her in a car and take her to a police station then and there I'm
:19:49. > :19:50.a police station then and there. I'm there to find out what's gohng on
:19:51. > :19:51.there to find out what's going on for her. Tracy works closelx
:19:52. > :19:51.there to find out what's gohng on for her. Tracy works closely with
:19:52. > :19:53.for her. Tracy works closelx with specialist health workers from an
:19:54. > :19:56.NHS drop`in centre in Liverpool. NHS drop`in centre in Liverpool.
:19:57. > :19:59.They offer advice to sex tr`de They offer advice to sex trade
:20:00. > :20:06.workers, and they have seen numbers on the streets drop by half since a
:20:07. > :20:08.Hate Crime Model was adopted. In the 80s and into the 90s, this `rea was
:20:09. > :20:12.80s and into the 90s, this area was worked. It isn't now. So it really
:20:13. > :20:14.hoes how things like policing and regeneration can really change a
:20:15. > :20:16.street beat. So you're dealing regeneration can really change a
:20:17. > :20:17.street beat. So you're dealhng with street beat. So you're dealhng with
:20:18. > :20:20.a constantly changing situation. street beat. So you're dealing with
:20:21. > :20:22.a constantly changing situation And a constantly changing situation. And
:20:23. > :20:26.this was quite a dangerous `rea We had a lot of women who were
:20:27. > :20:29.attacked. So there was a huge drive then to really do something quickly,
:20:30. > :20:33.and get something happening to protect sex workers. It was the
:20:34. > :20:35.murder of Ann Marie Foye th`t protect sex workers. It was the
:20:36. > :20:35.murder of Ann Marie Foye that proved murder of Ann Marie Foye that proved
:20:36. > :20:37.the catalyst to get the polhce in the catalyst to get the police in
:20:38. > :20:40.Liverpool to declare all crhmes Liverpool to declare all crimes
:20:41. > :20:46.against people in prostituthon as hate crimes. Back in 2006, we
:20:47. > :20:50.invoked what we call the Hate Crime Model. So in the same way that we
:20:51. > :20:53.address issues around homophobic attacks on people, or racially
:20:54. > :20:54.motivated attacks, or attacks on people for other discriminatory
:20:55. > :21:01.reasons... We decided that `ttacks reasons... We decided that `ttacks
:21:02. > :21:03.on sex workers, if these attacks occurred during their work as a sex
:21:04. > :21:06.worker, we would devote a shmilar worker, we would devote a shmilar
:21:07. > :21:17.approach to that which we do with other strands of hate crime. May was
:21:18. > :21:22.also working alone she was attacked and raped. He slapped me, and he
:21:23. > :21:26.repeatedly raped me, and I still have nightmares today. You thought,
:21:27. > :21:30.when you were in there, that he was going to kill you? I did. The only
:21:31. > :21:32.reason I managed to escape was because he fell asleep. So I crept
:21:33. > :21:35.down the stairs, and as I w`s down the stairs, and as I w`s
:21:36. > :21:39.opening the bolt, it started squeaking really loud. I felt him
:21:40. > :21:42.touch the back of my hair. So I just opened the door and ran. I phoned
:21:43. > :21:46.the police straightaway, as I thought I was going to die that
:21:47. > :21:50.night. May was introduced to Shelly Stoops, who was to help her all the
:21:51. > :21:53.way through her case. This led to the rapist being sentenced to ten
:21:54. > :21:57.years without parole. I really wanted him off the street as I
:21:58. > :22:00.didn't want other girls to go through what I went through. It was
:22:01. > :22:02.absolutely horrendous. So that's how they do things on Merseysidd. But
:22:03. > :22:05.what about somewhere like Medway? what about somewhere like Medway?
:22:06. > :22:07.Ann Barnes, the Police and Crime Commissioner, wanted to tell me
:22:08. > :22:12.about an award`winning schele they about an award`winning schele they
:22:13. > :22:17.have here called Safe Exit. As you can see, this is a really lovely
:22:18. > :22:19.part of the Medway Towns. It's one of my favourite bits of it. Over
:22:20. > :22:21.there, there's some lovely @lms there, there's some lovely Alms
:22:22. > :22:27.houses. It's a really nice `rea to houses. It's a really nice area to
:22:28. > :22:31.live. There used to be a lot of street workers around this
:22:32. > :22:34.particular area. Kent Policd, working with the local council and
:22:35. > :22:41.with the health service, have really turned this place around. So where
:22:42. > :22:45.are they are they? Are they working in a different area of Kent? Are
:22:46. > :22:48.they in brothels? Are they on the internet? I don't have any evidence
:22:49. > :22:49.internet? I don't have any dvidence to say they've been dispersed
:22:50. > :22:54.to say they've been dispersdd elsewhere. I think about 120 women
:22:55. > :22:56.were working the streets, this area, in 2007`8, when this Safe Exit
:22:57. > :23:05.programme started. There are now programme started. There are now
:23:06. > :23:07.about 17. It worried me that these women were unaccounted for, and
:23:08. > :23:13.making contact with the people running the scheme was to prove
:23:14. > :23:16.difficult. After repeatedly asking for access to the Safe Exit scheme
:23:17. > :23:24.over several months, I still couldn't establish how many women
:23:25. > :23:27.had been helped by it. With no help from the press office, we sdnt Kent
:23:28. > :23:30.Police a freedom of information request. What became clear was that,
:23:31. > :23:32.during the time the Safe Exit request. What became clear was that,
:23:33. > :23:34.during the time the Safe Exht scheme during the time the Safe Exit scheme
:23:35. > :23:40.was running, arrests of women in prostitution in this area rocketed.
:23:41. > :23:42.That said to me the police weren't acting in the women's interests.
:23:43. > :23:42.That said to me the police weren't acting in the women's interdsts A
:23:43. > :23:45.acting in the women's interests. A criminal record is a major obstacle
:23:46. > :23:49.when seeking employment and keeps women trapped in prostitution. This
:23:50. > :23:53.is nothing like the police approach is nothing like the police `pproach
:23:54. > :23:56.in Merseyside. So I managed to make contact with two public servants
:23:57. > :23:58.associated with Safe Exit who were willing to tell me what happened, as
:23:59. > :24:00.long as their identities could willing to tell me what happened, as
:24:01. > :24:04.long as their identities could be protected. They went around and
:24:05. > :24:06.pulled the girls off New Ro`d, protected. They went around and
:24:07. > :24:11.pulled the girls off New Road, with pulled the girls off New Ro`d, with
:24:12. > :24:16.ASBOs. They set up two houses in Medway. They were kind of s`fe
:24:17. > :24:19.houses. It was very much a police initiative. I remember there was
:24:20. > :24:22.houses. It was very much a police initiative. I remember therd was no
:24:23. > :24:26.aftercare. So the women who have experience of the Safe Exit scheme `
:24:27. > :24:31.did anyone actually get helped by that? Any counselling, help out of
:24:32. > :24:37.poverty... There was one girl who managed to get clean and st`y clean,
:24:38. > :24:41.but unfortunately she died. It seemed more like social engineering,
:24:42. > :24:44.where they thought they could put a quick and dirty ill`thought out
:24:45. > :24:50.programme in place, and two plus two would equal four. They would all
:24:51. > :24:57.exit prostitution and lead happy, safe lives thereafter. But there was
:24:58. > :25:01.no real extra funding for this and it was ill`thought out. What was
:25:02. > :25:02.happening was that the women that we had been working with suddenly
:25:03. > :25:04.stopped talking to us, so we had been working with suddenly
:25:05. > :25:05.stopped talking to us, so wd weren't stopped talking to us, so we weren't
:25:06. > :25:12.able to help them keep themselves safe on the streets. For all of the
:25:13. > :25:13.furore about how successful this scheme was, it has had no ilpact
:25:14. > :25:16.furore about how successful this scheme was, it has had no impact on
:25:17. > :25:23.the lives of women working hn the sex industry in Chatham. It was just
:25:24. > :25:27.a big political PR stunt. When we told Kent Police about what our
:25:28. > :25:31.sources had said, they then agreed to an interview. They say that they
:25:32. > :25:35.have to balance what is best for both the sex workers and the
:25:36. > :25:37.community at large. Soliciting and kerb crawling both are crimhnal
:25:38. > :25:38.kerb crawling both are criminal offences, and Kent will alw`ys
:25:39. > :25:38.kerb crawling both are crimhnal offences, and Kent will always take
:25:39. > :25:40.offences, and Kent will alw`ys take a strong, hard`line approach to any
:25:41. > :25:44.criminal offences. We will `lso a strong, hard`line approach to any
:25:45. > :25:46.criminal offences. We will also deal criminal offences. We will `lso deal
:25:47. > :25:50.very robustly with any anti`social behaviour issues. But what we
:25:51. > :25:51.mustn't lose sight of is the behaviour issues. But what we
:25:52. > :25:52.mustn't lose sight of is thd fact mustn't lose sight of is the fact
:25:53. > :25:53.that the sex workers are thdmselves that the sex workers are themselves
:25:54. > :25:58.vunerable. For me, it's a fhne vunerable. For me, it's a fine
:25:59. > :25:59.balance between enforcing the law, but also providing support `nd
:26:00. > :26:12.but also providing support and engagement. Well, were the women in
:26:13. > :26:16.Medway given a Safe Exit or are they still working? I found over 1000
:26:17. > :26:19.people advertising sexual sdrvices people advertising sexual sdrvices
:26:20. > :26:26.in Kent and Sussex on one prominent adult internet site. In Thanet, I
:26:27. > :26:36.met a local councillor, Ian Driver, who sees street sex work happening
:26:37. > :26:40.on his patch every day. You could drive round here most evenings, and
:26:41. > :26:44.you can see people at work from the sex industry. How do you feel police
:26:45. > :26:50.sex industry. How do you fedl police treat people in the sex trade? I
:26:51. > :26:57.think pretty badly. They've got very old`fashioned views. My impression
:26:58. > :27:03.is that the police in Thanet, and probably in Kent as a whole, are
:27:04. > :27:11.less than sympathetic. They still have the view that the sex trade is
:27:12. > :27:20.something to be clamped down upon, something to be forced out `s much
:27:21. > :27:21.as they can, so they take a very punitive and a very aggresshve
:27:22. > :27:28.punitive and a very aggressive stance towards the sex tradd in
:27:29. > :27:32.Thanet, which I think is totally wrong. White back my contacts
:27:33. > :27:39.associated with Safe Exit s`y it's about to be relaunched. If it is,
:27:40. > :27:42.will the new version followdd the Merseyside model of prioritising
:27:43. > :27:47.protection and building trusting relationships with the police and
:27:48. > :27:50.outreach services? I am sceptical about this. They haven't involved
:27:51. > :27:52.outreach projects, and it sdems about this. They haven't involved
:27:53. > :27:59.outreach projects, and it sdems 1 million miles away from the
:28:00. > :28:01.Merseyside approach. Now, if you want any more
:28:02. > :28:05.information about tonight's show, you can visit our local Kent or
:28:06. > :28:16.Sussex websites. You can also watch the show again on iPlayer. Coming up
:28:17. > :28:20.next week: An energy special. The meter has definitely been interfered
:28:21. > :28:27.with, because it has a fake seal. Hunting down the power thieves ` we
:28:28. > :28:32.join the British Gas Detecthves This is a huge problem. We feel
:28:33. > :28:33.about ?500 million worth of gas and electricity are stolen a ye`r. What
:28:34. > :28:37.electricity are stolen a year. What happens when the elderly get cold?
:28:38. > :28:43.We turn pensioners into guinea pigs to find out. We just live in this
:28:44. > :28:46.room to keep warm. It's just enough to keep you warm. And two years
:28:47. > :28:47.room to keep warm. It's just enough to keep you warm. And two ydars of
:28:48. > :28:53.the controversial Glynde wind turbine. Was it worth it, or is it
:28:54. > :28:57.just spin? That's it from us for tonight from
:28:58. > :29:07.Hastings. Thanks for watching, and see you next week.
:29:08. > :29:11.Hello, I'm Ellie Crisell with your 90-second update.
:29:12. > :29:15.The PM has backed fracking. He's promised councils incentives if they
:29:16. > :29:18.let companies drill for shale gas. Critics have called the offer a
:29:19. > :29:21.bribe, but the Government claims the process will give us cheaper energy.
:29:22. > :29:24.More at 10pm. The biggest public inquiry into
:29:25. > :29:27.child abuse in the UK has begun in Northern Ireland. It's looking at
:29:28. > :29:32.care in church and state-run homes over 70 years. More than 400 people
:29:33. > :29:36.have asked to give evidence. Mark Bridger was convicted of
:29:37. > :29:40.murdering April Jones last May. Today, he dropped his plan to appeal
:29:41. > :29:43.a whole-life sentence. The five-year-old's body has never been
:29:44. > :29:46.found. Is Britain on the verge of an
:29:47. > :29:50.obesity crisis? The National Obesity Forum says the problem is worse than
:29:51. > :29:53.thought. It wants urgent action to change eating habits and called for
:29:54. > :29:56.doctors to be more proactive. A hat-trick for American Hustle at
:29:57. > :29:59.the Golden Globes. It picked up three awards including Best Actress
:30:00. > :30:01.and Best Supporting Actress. British film 12 Years A Slave won Best Film
:30:02. > :30:04.Hello, I'm Rob Smith, here's the Drama.
:30:05. > :30:08.Hello, I'm Rob Smith, here's the latest in the south east today. A
:30:09. > :30:12.woman raped up to 60 times `t a mental health unit in Kent says such
:30:13. > :30:14.places are a playground for predators, she's calling for more
:30:15. > :30:16.safeguards for people under psychiatric care.
:30:17. > :30:19.And the recent heavy rainfall that's caused such widespread flooding has
:30:20. > :30:20.also caused major damage to