A pregnant ex-prostitute has spoken out over the abuse she gets from passers-by who judge her because of her drug addiction.
Mother-of-two Tracey Whelan, 42, is from Chapeltown in Leeds, and she told LeedsLive how she had moved away from the Harehills area of the West Yorkshire city to "get away from the drugs" and turn over a new leaf. Sadly, she found herself stuck back in the bustling Leeds suburb, begging for change to afford a bus back home to Halifax.
Tracey said she was sick of people insulting her and calling her derogatory names - most mocking her 26-year addiction or history of sex work. She first got hooked on drugs heroin and crack while working as a prostitute and trying to make ends meet.
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Tracey said: "They call me a crackhead, dirty s*** and a smackhead. I’m in agony. You shouldn’t judge people, it’s not right. I don’t bother anyone."
Speaking about her addiction, Tracey - who has two children aged eight and 26 - said she associated with "bad people" while a sex worker in the Harehills and Chapeltwon areas of Leeds. She did however move away from the city.
Tracey said: "I used to live in Harehills but I moved away to get away from the drugs. I’ve got two kids and I’m pregnant now."
West Yorkshire Police have described the Harehills area as "holiday resort" for street-drinkers. The cops are committed to cracking down on anti-social behaviour - and have even been granted increased powers to tackle the issue.
Tracey distanced herself from the street-drinkers subject to those complaints, adding that she doesn’t drink and finds the anti-social behaviour "disgusting". She continued: "I don’t drink, it’s disgusting. They’re falling all over and causing trouble. I take heroin and crack, I’ve been addicted for years – 26 years
“I got involved with bad people, prostitutes, and people like that. I used to do it myself, in Harehills and Chapeltown."
If you have concerns for someone on the streets, you can report it here.
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