Sex workers have maintained Canberra is a safe place to work, despite a string of violent sexual assaults against women in their profession.
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Up to six women reported being raped and robbed, and police said more victims have come forward since they went public on Thursday.
Investigators now believe the gang was active in Canberra from January to May this year. Their previous reports indicated the men had attacked women between March and May.
Although Canberra's sex industry is legal and regulated Scarlet Alliance Australian Sex Workers' Association chief executive Jules Kim said there was a perception sexual assault was "part of the job".
"It's not. It's a crime no matter who it happens to," she said.
She said these perceptions were "barriers to accessing justice" for sex workers.
"The sex worker organisations do work to try and combat that stigma and discrimination but it does continue to be a large barrier in sex workers being able to report crime," Ms Kim said.
"Unfortunately the problem is, as well, it does send a message to criminals that they can attack sex workers with impunity."
Former sex worker, and peer education officer with Canberra's Sex Worker Outreach Program Lexxie Jury, said sex workers were perceived as "easy targets".
"A lot of workers don't report crimes because of the stigma and discrimination," Ms Jury said.
However she also said while women were concerned about being attacked, it was a rare occurrence and Canberra was a safe place to work.
"I would say 98 per cent of clients are really easy going. They're there, they know what they want, and it's all good. It's the 2 per cent that causes all the issues," she said.
"I would be surprised if any woman wasn't concerned that they were going to be attacked by these three guys, whether they are a sex worker or a woman walking to her car after the movies by herself."
Canberra's sex industry is a close network where information on troublesome clients is shared quickly and widely.
The number of registered operators in the ACT sex industry fell from 30 in 2013 to 26 in 2016. The 26 registered operators included 16 brothels and escort services and 10 sole operators.
Ms Jury said the Sex Worker Outreach Program actively encouraged workers to communicate with each other in order to improve their safety.
She said the stigma of sex work meant women within the industry only felt comfortable turning to other sex workers when crimes occurred.
"I do think there are definitely people who look at it and go 'they got what they deserved if you're going to choose that kind of occupation' and my reply to that would be you deserve to be safe in any kind of job you're doing, whether that's construction work, a police officer, a reporter, it doesn't matter what your job is. Everyone deserves to feel safe in the occupation that they've chosen to do," Ms Jury said.
Jules Kim said the peak national sex worker association applauded ACT detectives for promising privacy for any worker who stepped forward with information about the attacks.
"I think it's a big step forward, definitely. That has been a barrier for a lot of people coming forward in the past," Ms Kim said.
"Hopefully this case will set a positive precedent in the way that police will work with sex workers who have been victims of crime."
- with Georgina Connery
