Prostitutes ‘possessed by demons’ claim leads to Glasgow axing support for government hub

Glasgow City Council has pulled out of a government programme working to end prostitution amid claims it would copy a project headed up by a charity boss who believes prostitutes are “possessed by demons”.

In July the council wrote to Scottish ministers saying it was pulling out of plans to open a support hub in the city to help women exit prostitution. 

The council says this is because it would involve piloting a programme to help challenge men’s demand for buying sex which copies the Flint project, which is part of a Luton-based charity called Azalea.

Glasgow City Chambers | Press Association

Azalea’s chief executive Ruth Robb has penned two books where she brands yoga an “occult practice”, claims prostitution leads to a “lesbian lifestyle” and recommends performing exorcisms on prostitutes who have been possessed.

In her books she sets out a checklist to establish whether a prostitute has fallen prey to “demonic possession”, including “flailing limbs”, a “sudden change of voice”, “physical strength”, an “aversion to the word of God”, and a “rapid change of facial expression from friendliness to a dreadful black look”. 

Ms Robb recommends carrying out “deliverance prayers” to ensure the “demon is expelled”.

In her books she also lists examples of “occult practices”, including an “addiction to blood and human flesh”, yoga and playing the fantasy game Dungeons and Dragons.

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She also claims there is a “high degree of lesbian promiscuity” and bisexuality amongst prostitutes, adding a “strong loyalty” between women leads them to “homosexual tendencies” and is “part and parcel of the confusion and slackening of boundaries which characterises the chaotic lifestyle”.

Ms Robb also refers to trans prostitutes as “trannies” and says they tend to be violent because of their “high levels of frustration which they feel towards themselves and their lives”.

She also says staff working with prostitutes should view data confidentiality as “guidance” and should breach this if it means “bringing glory to God”.

Opening support hubs is part of the Scottish Government’s proposals to adopt what is known as the Nordic model - this would overhaul prostitution law by legalising the selling of sex while criminalising the buying of sex.

It would also challenge men’s demand for buying sex - in documents seen by The Scotsman, it says the Glasgow hub could include the “piloting of Azalea’s Flint services”.

However documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the campaign group National Ugly Mugs show Glasgow City Council is refusing to take part in the programme because of concerns about the Azalea project being used.

National Ugly Mugs is against the Scottish Government’s proposals to introduce the Nordic model - instead, it wants to see the full decriminalisation of prostitution.

The support hub would look to help support women to exit prostitution. | Adobe Stock

Jenny O’Hagan, director of neighbourhoods, regeneration and sustainability at the council, wrote to the Scottish Government and said: “After much discussion and consideration we are formally declining the opportunity to further develop and implement a pilot programme as outlined within the current framework.”

Her letter added: “The example programme to challenge sex buyers provided does not appear to be developed from a feminist analysis and is at odds with Glasgow’s entire approach to all systems of prostitution.

“We consider it to be dangerous and it is not a response we are willing to deliver or endorse.”

Two days later the council’s violence against women and girls coordinator wrote another letter which said: “More explicitly we cannot support a men’s programme similar to that of the Azalea Flint project for a number of reasons, most pertinent the lack of feminist, gendered analysis and approach alongside practical concerns of how this could even operate.”

The National Violence Against Women Network also wrote to ministers warning of a “significant implementation gap” in the proposals and an “unrealistic and unworkable” timetable.

Dr Raven Bowen, chief executive of National Ugly Mugs, said: “The fact that the Scottish Government is telling councils to procure the services of an organisation that believes in hocus-pocus nonsense such as sex workers being ‘possessed by demons’ instead of women and individuals in need of material support and resources, tells you everything you need to know about how the SNP’s sex work policy is informed.

“While evidence-informed and progressive organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and UN Aids advocate for sex worker rights and the decriminalisation of sex work, the SNP has instead chosen to side with religious crackpots and the regressive right in moving towards the de facto criminalisation of sex workers.

“Polling data shows the Scottish people are overwhelmingly opposed to the SNP’s approach to sex work, and instead want the government to focus on supporting sex worker safety and wellbeing.

“Making their lives more dangerous by criminalising their sources of revenue while denying agency and offering no income replacement will push sex workers further into poverty, destitution and despair.”

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council confirmed it is no longer moving forward with the government’s proposals to open a support hub in the city.

They said: “Our Routes Out service has been delivering support to women involved in prostitution for 30 years.

“Routes Out has considerable experience and specialist knowledge about working with vulnerable women involved in prostitution and already operates a hub and spoke system.

“Our service is currently undergoing a comprehensive service review given changes to the way women are presenting for support.

“We remain supportive of the Scottish Government framework and are happy to share our expertise in this area with other local authorities, but we are unable to commit to taking part in this new pilot at this time.”

The Scottish Government denies it is partnering with Azalea or that it recommends councils partner up with Azalea. 

Azalea has been approached for comment.