0 s , ▁where ▁she ▁sold ▁her ▁own ▁fashion ▁cre ations ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁designs ▁of ▁colle agues ▁in ▁Sydney . ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁re cess ion ▁in ▁Australia , ▁interest ▁in ▁Pat ten ' s ▁expensive ▁collection ▁was ▁received ▁largely ▁from ▁workers ▁in ▁the ▁sex ▁industry . ▁ ▁Business ▁career , ▁ 1 9 8 8 – 2 0 1 4 ▁ ▁Body ▁Polit ics ▁Pat ten ▁started ▁her ▁career ▁with ▁her ▁company ▁Body ▁Polit ics . ▁With ▁her ▁large ▁client ele ▁of ▁sex ▁workers , ▁Pat ten ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁sex ▁workers ' ▁rights , ▁eventually ▁joining ▁Work ers ▁In ▁Sex ▁Emp loyment ▁( WI SE ), ▁a ▁lo bb ying ▁group , ▁to ▁inform ▁at - ris k ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁about ▁the ▁emer ging ▁threat ▁of ▁H IV / A ID S . ▁Pat ten ▁was ▁employed ▁as ▁an ▁out re ach ▁speaker , ▁and ▁would ▁once ▁a ▁week ▁visit ▁bro th els ▁to ▁teach ▁the ▁women ▁about ▁safe ▁sex . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁Pat ten ▁was ▁a ▁sex ▁worker ▁herself . ▁Her ▁initial ▁encounter ▁began ▁at ▁T iff any ' s ▁Palace ▁in ▁Can ber ra , ▁where ▁she ▁had ▁inter course ▁with ▁a ▁client ▁when ▁another ▁worker ▁was ▁un available . ▁ ▁Pat ten ▁eventually ▁lost ▁interest ▁in ▁her ▁work , ▁which ▁had ▁also ▁inter fer ed ▁with ▁her ▁social ▁and ▁professional ▁life . ▁After ▁working ▁as ▁a