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I never truly understood drug addiction until I started working in this role seven years ago.

I've got to know many of the women and understand what drives them to take the massive risks they do, day in, day out. Some of the women have a £350 a day habit. They are all addicted to Class A drugs and are among the most vulnerable people in our city.

Many don't have homes but sofa surf, often exploited by people profiting from their misery. They will stand out in all weathers waiting for the next pick up – risking violence along the way - and won't go home until they can fund their next fix. It's a desperate situation.

We've come a long way in terms of how we police this issue.

Reducing the risk of harm and exploitation is integral to our work and each shift begins with a briefing, highlighting key concerns for particular women as well as intelligence about violent offenders. We work through the night, not in uniform, trying to break down barriers, build trust, and let them know we want to listen. We want to know about the violence they are encountering and let them know that we will work hard to target offenders.

Our focus is on making the most of every opportunity to signpost the women to the right services, so crucial support is offered at the earliest opportunity. Building that trust and confidence takes time, which is why every contact is so important.

A case that will always stick in my mind is of a woman we stopped to speak to one night who began crying. We asked her what was wrong, but she just kept walking. Eventually she opened up and described how she had been violently assaulted with a brick and raped. She was able to describe the suspect and identify the scene where the incident had happened. We supported her throughout the investigation and the offender was convicted.

If we hadn't stopped to speak to her that night and worked with her to build her trust, I don't think she would have reported the crime.

For me, the hardest part of my job is seeing the same faces out on the streets and knowing they are stuck in this cycle to fund their drug habit.

All of these women are someone's daughter, someone's sister, even someone's mother. I never forget this. None of them set out in life wanting to live like this – it's not a choice. Due to drugs they are not living their lives, they're just existing.