Scandal of young women exploited at work

From refusing to wear hot pants to not even being paid

- ROS WYNNE-JONES AND MARYAM QAISER

RAVEN Dixon-Biggs is describing what it's like to work at a vape industry convention.

"When you work in promotions there is an expectation you are sexy, you are flirty," the 31-year-old mum, model, and fashion and beauty entrepreneur from the West Midlands, says.

"Not only do you need to have engaging customer service skills, you need to be able to sell the product with your looks. For the vape shows I remember telling the company I'm not wearing a bikini and 5-inch stilettos to work an eight to 10-hour shift. I'm not going to exploit myself for men to hand out free samples of vape and be the most attractive stand for the day.

"I have been rejected for roles as I've refused to wear hot pants, or bikinis. Yet I saw men in t-shirts and trousers. Why isn't that the same for women?"

Raven was just one of the people we spoke to as part of an investigation with Young Women's Trust into how young women in the UK are exploited via insecure work.

In the wake of a national moral panic about the number of young people not in work or education - which in February hit an 11-year high - research from the Trust uncovers a toxic reality for millions of young women whose working lives are fraught with unfair, discriminatory and illegal practices.

HARASSMENT

New research from the charity shows 33% feel trapped and 67% face discrimination. There were 37% who said they had to put up with unsafe working environments and 26% with sexual harassment because they worried they wouldn't get the hours they need if they called it out.