This book brings together literature, empirical research findings from two projects, and policy analysis to examine how some forces in England have adopted the approach of treating crimes against sex workers as hate crimes. This book identifies some of the benefits of the hate crime approach to crimes against sex workers, both operationally and for some of the victims of crime. The authors argue that the hate crime approach should not be seen as an alternative to decriminalisation of sex work but can provide a pathway to achieving more sensitive but robust policing of crimes against sex workers and support in accessing justice through the criminal justice system. They also examine the broader context of hate crime policy and scholarship as they debate the relevance, problems and merits of the sex work hate crime model. The book provides another dimension to current theoretical and policy debates about widening definitions and law around hate crime to include other groups beyond existing protected characteristics.

Chapter 1: Why Is Hate Crime a Helpful Concept to Respond to Violence Against Sex Workers?

Chapter 2: What is hate crime in the context of sex work?
Chapter 3: Sex work, crimes and policing in the UK
Chapter 4: The inclusion of sex work in the policing of hate crime: The Merseyside Model
Chapter 5: 'Everyday' hate directed at sex workers
Chapter 6: The invisible victim: barriers to accessing criminal justice
Chapter 7: Developing, implementing and maintaining the model
Chapter 8: Conclusions: Implications for law, policing and scholarship.