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Porn stars, an ex-stripper and escorts will be opening up about the realities of working in the sex industry at a unique event in Canterbury.
In what will be the first of its kind in the city, the unusual night at The Mooring Cafe, in Water Lane, next to the Canterbury Heritage Museum, will see professional sex workers joining together to uncover the truth of what is often viewed as a dark and seedy world.
Organiser Alex Vellis says the aim of the event, called The Sex Work Symposium, is to try to normalise sex work and end the stigma surrounding it.
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"Lots of my friends are involved in sex work and it's one of those things that's really frowned upon when it shouldn't be," said the professional poet.
"It's the world's oldest profession and it's also something that lots of people are getting involved in - particularly those at university.
"What with Instagram, Only Fans pages, where fans pay to see their favourite adult performers, and private Snapchat, it's become a really lucrative business.
"An old friend of mine, she retired at 25 after being a high end escort. Between the ages of 21 and 25 she used to fly all over the world to sleep with men and she made a fortune."
The event on Friday (June 7) will include a talk from sex worker Ben, who previously worked in corporate management and is now touring the UK as an escort, porn star and producer, as well as discussions from ex-stripper Sadie and Heatherran, a model for adult brand Suicide Girls.
Mr Vellis, from Canterbury, insists being a sex worker is a job like any other.
"People just think of prostitution and porn," the 30-year-old event organiser said.
"But there are so many different types of sex work. A friend of mine, a mother, really nice woman, she sells used underwear. She just wears it for a day and a chap will pay her £75 a week for four pairs. And she is considered a sex worker.
"Some people will make a video of standing on a cake and that will sell - everyone has a fetish.
"It's also those behind the scenes, not just starring in pornography or being a model, it's the producer roles, cinematography, editing and sound engineers."
Mr Vellis admits he is expecting some backlash at the event being held in the Cathedral city - and has even warned some of the speakers to be aware of potential critics on the night.
"People do frown upon it. They see women in particular who want to promote their bodies as being against religion, against the ideas of feminism, which is particularly bizarre to me.
"It's taking a massive step backwards telling women they can't do this. It's removing women's autonomy over their own bodies.
"Critics also see things like trafficking and drug use and lump it into the same category. Realistically it's not like that at all. The amount of men and women who are hooked on drugs that are involved in sex work is actually remarkably low."
'Some people will make a video of standing on a cake and that will sell - everyone has a fetish'
Prostitution in the UK is legal but it is illegal to solicit in a public place, kerb crawl, run a brothel or pimp.
Mr Vellis says it's a grey area and one that can lead to misconceptions generally about the sex industry.
"Nobody I know is ashamed of their work, but while it's still frowned upon, it's difficult for them. They don't use their real names.
"It tends to be that sex work isn't their main job - usually they have other careers, so they don't use their real names in case it jeopardises their other job.
"Or they may be a mother trying to make money while their children are at school so they don't want their real name used.
"Getting support networks in place, like a union, would help diminish this stigma over time."
The Sex Work Symposium is on Friday (June 7) from 7-10pm.
