THERE’S ALWAYS FEAR
Christchurch’s red-light district is mourning the alleged murder of a fifth sex worker in 15 years. Sam Sherwood spoke to some of the ‘‘sisterhood’’ about work on the streets.
‘‘Most of the girls are really close, we all know each other.’’
Sue Merrett
Sue Merrett sits on a seat in Manchester St, surveying the area as motorists drive through the heart of Christchurch’s red-light district.
Behind her is a tribute engraved on a plaque, which reads: ‘‘In memory of the women who have worked, lived and died on the streets of Christchurch.’’
Less than two weeks earlier, Bella Te Pania was standing down the same stretch of road.
The 34-year-old mother went off the streets about two years ago after getting pregnant. She had recently returned because she needed money to get by.
During her shift, which was usually between 3am and 6am – a popular stint due to the number of shift workers starting and finishing their jobs – a 42-year-old plasterer allegedly picked her up.
It is unclear whether he was a client or not.
About 6.50am, Te Pania was found critically injured in Orchard Rd, near Christchurch Airport. She died a short time later.
The plasterer, who has interim name suppression, has been charged with her murder.
Te Pania is the fifth woman to be killed while working in Christchurch’s red-light district in the past 15 years. The others were Renee Duckmanton in 2016; Ngatai ‘‘Mallory’’ Manning in 2008; Suzie Sutherland in 2005; and a 24-yearold, who has permanent name suppression, also in 2005.
The view along Manchester St is a familiar one for Merrett, who has been associated with the industry for about 25 years.
She worked as a sex worker in her 20s, going into the industry to pay off some fines. Now aged in her 50s, she works as a street outreach worker for the New Zealand Prostitutes’ Collective.
Merrett, who knew some of the women who have been killed, said Te Pania’s death hit the community hard.
‘‘It is devastating, absolutely devastating.
‘‘Morale is down, people are grieving, they are cut up.
‘‘It is terrible, it just rips your heart, it is horrible when this happens and one of the sisters goes.
‘‘It takes a toll on the whole industry – the people that support them, the people that work with them, their family and friends, the whole community.’’
LIFE ON THE STREET
Manning’s murder in 2008 gave a chilling insight into the Manchester St scene, including gang members, territories, standover tactics, drugs and violence.
At the time, the Mongrel Mob was vying for control of Manchester St.
The gang had set up territory at the Oxford St bridge in Manchester St, which they called ‘‘The Four Aves’’, where they minded their own workers.
But they also used standover tactics to ‘‘tax’’ other workers for $20 a job.
Merrett said a lot had changed since then, with gangs no longer playing a large role.
‘‘No-one owns Manchester St, no gangs, nobody. It is a public place and if the girls want to work there they don’t need to pay taxes to anybody. It is their office and it is their business.’’
Life on the street is a lot quieter these days, with fewer girls working than before the earthquakes.
‘‘Numbers have dropped quite considerably,’’ Merrett said, attributing dating apps like Tinder as having a large part to do with a decrease in demand.
However, the risks to the workers remained the same.
‘‘It is as dangerous as it has ever been. You can do all sorts of things, and we do,’’ Merrett said.
‘‘We try and get the girls to get minders but whatever we do there is always that fear – it does not matter what we do they still get murdered.’’
Sitting beside Merrett is Phoenix, who has been a sex worker for about 12 years.
Phoenix said it could be scary working on the street by yourself but the women look out for one another.
‘‘We all watch each other, we all know who has gone and who has not come back.’’
It was good knowing the police were there when needed, she said. ‘‘They are pretty fast to respond.’’
MORE THAN SEX WORKERS
While discussing the role of sex workers, Merrett recalled a client approaching her last year who was experiencing a marriage breakup.
The man told her the workers saved his life.
‘‘He reckons that without the girls he would have had a major breakdown but said they counselled him and taught him a lot and they have really helped him out.’’
It is this side of sex workers that goes unnoticed, Merrett said.
‘‘It is not just about sex, it is about a lot more than that. These girls are counsellors, social workers, carers, they have got life skills which [are] invaluable.
‘‘I have met some of the best women on the streets that I would class as lifelong friends.’’
‘A GOOD WOMAN’
Merrett met Te Pania about 12 years ago when she was involved with the outreach street programme. She would later come to know her better while she worked on the streets.
Te Pania left the job for a while after she got pregnant. Merrett said she had not been out much recently.
‘‘She just sort of started coming back out again but not full-on, just to get by.
‘‘That is why most people go back out there, to make ends meet.
‘‘It is hard times at the moment, people have been struggling for quite a few years.’’
Te Pania had an ‘‘awesome heart’’ and would help anybody, Merrett said. ‘‘She got on really well with the girls, she connected with them and had empathy and compassion.
‘‘She was just salt of the earth, loved her friends and her family. ‘‘She was a good woman.’’ Phoenix said Te Pania was a ‘‘little fighter’’. ‘‘She was absolutely beautiful, she was a soul taken way too early.’’
Phoenix, like many other sex workers, has barely been on the street since Te Pania’s death, mainly out of respect. But at some point they had to start working again, she said. ‘‘It is the only way we know at the moment. We are trying to do other things to get girls off the street.’’
While Phoenix and Merrett were talking, another sex worker, who did not want to be named, approached them as she began her shift just before 10pm.
She hugged the pair as she spoke of visiting Te Pania’s home to see her young daughter and sister.
The woman was working the night Te Pania was killed.
‘‘I gave Bella a hug and said merry Christmas and happy New Year,’’ she said.
A second sex worker walking by said she used to live with Te Pania.
The whole community had been hit hard, she said.
‘‘It is like a sisterhood,’’ Merrett said. ‘‘Most of the girls are really close, we all know each other.’’