The cost of living crisis began in May. Between May and June, we saw an increase of 38% in the number of contacts we made with women sex working on the streets of Reading. It has remained at that level ever since.
Rahab volunteers are making contacts with women they have not seen for a long time, who have returned to sex work to pay their utility bills while also seeing an increase in women they have not met before.
For example, G has not sex worked in years, but is back on the streets to pay her utility bills whilst caring for a member of her family who is seriously ill. D has never sex worked and was in recovery from drug abuse – she lost her job and had to move home. She started using drugs again and is sex working to pay for her and her partners drug addiction.
We have no idea how long this will last but some politicians and economists are predicting 10 years.
At Rahab, we pray for the restoration of all hope and belief for the sex workers we are in contact with. Today at The Mustard Tree, our staff devotion focused on two Bible verses and it seems right to share one of them with you.
Romans 12:12 ‘Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Rejoice in our confident hope.’
We ask you to pray for our teams as they go out on the night-time outreach – that they will be joyful, patient and faithful in prayer as they care for these vulnerable women.