A former escort who was stabbed by her ex-boyfriend during her 15 years in the industry has disclosed how she became a sex worker to care for her terminally ill father. Victoria - a pseudonym - had previously worked in cafes and bars but could not find flexible shifts that would enable her to spend time with her dad. She decided to sell sex for cash, which is legal in the UK, but faced a life-threatening attack when her former partner recognised her description in an online review from a client. She said that it was the only way she could afford her father’s care and be with him until he died. Victoria now travels around the UK, including Solihull, where she books a hotel and advertises for a few days. She joined the industry in 2008 when she was 23 years old. She told BirminghamLive: "I was my dad’s carer who had a terminal illness. I would work on weekends and pay for overnight care. I would do all the care during the week, take him out and spend his final years with him and on weekends, I would get care in. It was not so much easy money, but the flexibility. When my dad got ill, he could be in hospital for weeks and I would visit him every day, so I could take weeks off.