An individual has been accused following an incident where a sex worker was reportedly sexually assaulted and robbed at knifepoint in the north-western area of Sydney.

The alleged confrontation occurred when the woman opened the door to a man with a dark face covering at a unit on Blaxland Road in Ryde around 10:25 p.m. on Saturday, November 1.

Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty explained that the woman attempted to flee, but the man forced his way inside, pressing her against a wall.

“He proceeded to drag her by the hair into another room and then pulled out a large knife from his pocket, holding it to her throat while threatening her and demanding cash,” Doherty stated.

Allegedly, the woman then complied and gave him money.

“Police will further allege the male dragged the woman throughout the unit into a number of those rooms before pinning her onto a bed, hitting her a number of times while he tried to sexually assault her.

“Police will further allege the male then choked the female by putting his hands along her throat and actually sexually assaulted her through that time.

“Police will allege the female attempted to run from the unit and was detained further by that male while he rummaged through the rooms in the unit.”

Doherty said a short time later the man left the unit and the woman called triple zero.

Police searched a home at Castle Hill in the city’s north-west and arrested a 21-year-old man at about 8.15am yesterday.

He was charged with robbery, assault, and sexual assault offences.

The man was refused bail and has appeared in court today.

Doherty said the woman was the only person in the unit at the time.

“She luckily only sustained minor physical injuries, however is quite traumatised by the whole incident,” Doherty said.

“We think about sex workers generally in different ways.

“To come forward and say this is what I was doing at the time and this is what happened to me, I want to acknowledge the strength this young lady has shown.

Doherty said crimes against sex workers were often underreported due to a reluctance to report incidents.

“It’s very difficult for anyone to tell about a sexual assault, but I think there are other layers added to this, I acknowledge that she has done a very good job coming forward,” Doherty said.

“There are support services for sex workers, there is the Sex Workers Outreach Program in NSW, but I want them to know that they will be supported by NSW Police as well.”