The Power of Consent in a Highly Unequal Society

Cleveland Street brothel is a story which few people will have heard of, but there are so many echoes of it today. I think we're all pretty confident in saying that sex work by anyone under the age of 18, very, very bad. You've also got this element of class and exploitation and poverty. So what is the capacity to consent for a young person? What about the realities of exploitation in a highly unequal society? To what extent can someone meaningfully consent if they're, say, 18, right? you really are one up from chimney sweep.