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Prostitutes who advertise their services on line are being warned to 'buddy up' and look out for each other in the wake of the 'Craigslist ripper' murder enquiry.
Sex worker groups have warned prostitutes who advertise services on the site to let others know where they are going, what time they are expected to finish and check in with a fellow worker or friend to let them know they are safe.
The warning came as it emerged today police working on the 'Craigslist ripper' case may be looking for two murderers.
In recent years Craigslist has become a hotbed for prostitutes advertising their services on the 'personals' section of the site.
Women typically post a picture of their naked or partially clothed bodies alongside a phone number and price list.
It typically costs $80 for 15 minutes, $120 for 30 minutes or $180 for an hour with a girl.
the warnings came as investigators hunting the 'Craigslist Ripper' announced today there may be more than one killer.
Police have now found the remains of seven adults, one toddler and a bundle of bones which are thought to belong to two people - taking the body count to ten.
They believe differences in the way victims were killed, their bodies were disposed and DNA evidence could all suggest there was more than one murderer.
Speaking about teh safety of sex workers, Sex Workers Action New York (SWANK) spokesman Dylan Wolf, said: 'Sex workers are targeted for violence because of the stigma against what we do.
'People think they can do whatever they want to us and they won’t get caught.
'But like those murdered, we’re not disposable, bad people – we have lives that matter and people that love us.
'No matter who we are or what we do to make ends meet, we don’t deserve to die – we deserve good lives.'
Speaking to MSNBC, Maryse Mitchell-Brody of New York’s Sex Workers Outreach Project added prostitutes should use a system of 'safe calls'.
The calls establish where a girl will be, at what time and when she could call back to let another person know they are safe.
She said: 'Tell somebody where you are going to be.
'Send them a call beforehand. Say that ‘if you don’t hear from me by a certain time, call the police or tell this person who is nearby.'
Despite the recent focus on Craigslist, a recent study of prostitutes in New York has found that an overwhelming majority are also turning to Facebook to advertise their services.
Sudhir Venkatesh, a professor of sociology at Columbia University, spent a year interviewing 290 street workers about their financial and work habits to gather the data.
In an article for Wired Magazine, Professor Venkatesh found that 83 per cent of the sex workers he spoke to had a Facebook page which they used to post pictures, advertise their services and set prices.
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