A Halifax sex trade worker who says she was nearly beaten to death while on the job says a phone call to police saved her life.

The woman, who CTV News is not identifying because she’s alleging sexual assault, says it all started after a recent encounter with a stranger.

She claims the attack began on her couch in her apartment.

“He just punches me in my face and then he grabs me by my throat and asks me if I wanted to die, and he rapes me in my living room,” the woman alleged.

She is in her 20s and says she’s been a sex worker for six years.

The woman says the man picked her up in Dartmouth early on a December morning, they stopped for coffee and then went to her home. She alleges she was repeatedly assaulted in both the living room and bedroom.

The woman says at one point, they were on her couch near her winter coat when she managed to call police from her cellphone.

“I called 911 and I didn't speak,” she says. “This man was choking me and I was just gasping for air. I wasn't able to tell my name or tell my address.”

Police arrived at the home and arrested a 28-year-old man. The woman was later treated in hospital.

The sex trade worker says the attack has left her feeling paranoid, but she will continue doing this type of work.

“It's just crazy that I am in my house every day and I can visually see what happened to me and know that this man almost killed me in my house,” the woman alleges.

She has a warning for others who work alone.

“I've got to keep my guard up. Anything can happen to anybody who is in the sex trade,” she added.

Pablo Moises Alas of Fall River, N.S., has been charged with aggravated sexual assault, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and overcoming resistance to choke another person. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Alas was released on $15,000 bail and is currently under house arrest. He must follow a number of conditions, including no contact with the alleged victim and he can only travel to Halifax and Dartmouth for court.

Alas’s next court date is Feb. 1.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kelland Sundahl.