Project cuts town's prostitution

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Street prostitution has been virtually eradicated from a town where five women were killed a year ago, a charity says.

A prostitution strategy was started in Ipswich, Suffolk, in March after the bodies of five sex workers were found in December 2006.

Kerb crawlers have been targeted by police while support has been given to women to help them beat drug addiction.

Drugs charity the Iceni Project said there were now just "three or four" girls on working the streets.

Project spokesman Brian Tobin said he could now see an end to Ipswich's sex trade.

The bodies of Tania Nicol, 19, Gemma Adams, 25, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, who had all worked on the town's streets, were found in remote locations around the town.

Drugs treatment

The strategy involved tackling demand - 115 kerb crawlers were arrested in Ipswich between March and November - and offering help and support to the women to beat their drug addictions.

Mr Tobin said: "There were 28 women who worked on the streets and we've engaged with the majority of them.

"The most there are now is three or four, who work occasionally.

"It's been a two-pronged approach - drugs treatment for the girls with the police's help to tackle demand [for prostitution]."

As well offering support to help beat addiction, Iceni also caters for the women's basic needs.

A £10,000 donation from an anonymous source has enabled the charity to help the women pay their living costs.

Financial support

Mr Tobin said: "Some of these girls were earning £200 to £300 per night working on the streets.

"You can't expect them to go from that to having nothing so you have to support them financially."

Keira - not her real name - last sold sex in Ipswich in March and is one of the many women to have been helped by Iceni.

She said: "I worked on the streets for six years and was addicted to heroin.

"It took something like last December for me to change but I wouldn't have been able to do without Iceni."