In an unprecedented investigation that took almost a year and involved interviewing over 100 street prostitutes in red light districts in 18 towns and cities, a terrifying pattern of violence emerged - one that, until now, has gone hidden and unreported. Sixty per cent of the sex workers interviewed said that they had been raped or seriously beaten by clients in the previous 12 months. What's more they're being attacked because they are available and vulnerable - and worse - our prostitution laws are making them easy targets.