Walking along the street is a safe place for most of us. For those who engage in street sex work within Stoke-on-Trent, it’s a risky business. As many of the street sex workers are predominantly women. Sex workers are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence at work.
Sex workers of colour, migrant sex workers, and transgender experience an even greater risk of sexual violence and assault. Stoke-on-Trent is a multicultural city and Brighter Futures want to reach out to all women from different cultures, faith, and sexuality.
There are four main legal approaches to prostitution: prohibition, abolition, regulation, and decriminalisation. The UK has adopted the model of abolition – third parties involved in prostitution (pimps, brothel-keepers, traffickers) are punished and, other than for the offence of public solicitation, sex workers are usually considered to be victims.
They are a socially disadvantaged group. Many sex workers have experienced childhood trauma, often relating to sexual abuse and abandonment. Connections between childhood sexual abuse and the entrance into the sex industry at an early age, and continual experience of violence from partners and family. They will experience violence from pimps and clients. Also, how the street environment exposes sex workers to risk. Street sex workers develop self-protection strategies. individual sex workers and the female sex work community as a means of maintaining a survivor identity and not a victim identity.
The Brighter Futures’ Adult Sex Workers Support Service Manager acknowledges that statutory agencies struggle to deal with women’s complex experiences of multi-dimensional disadvantages, including drug dependency and addiction, homelessness, and mental health problems. But, third-sector organisations provide more holistic support and gender-informed support. Through intense support, commitment, and dedicated women’s only services, the cycle can be broken. Women’s only services are a clear focus and important for women to make recovery without judgement.
Brighter Futures want to reach people of all races, sexualities, and genders.
Brighter Futures also acknowledges the importance of a gender-informed approach, especially women’s services, for people with a history of trauma. The decision to move out of street sex work, and the motivation to do so, is deeply personal. Services can support them once they have committed, but cannot create the initial motivation, force the decision, or anticipate the reasons behind it. It is important to recognise that the process can be long and non-linear.
Women who engage in “survival” sex exchange sex to meet immediate needs. This could be financial needs, accommodation or somewhere to sleep. Many women also undertake survival sex to pay for food, laundry, drugs and alcohol and support for their children. Not all women who engage in survival sex will class themselves as sex workers, as many undertake survival sex infrequently and only when in need.
The current pandemic has led to job cuts and loss of housing for many. Women may undertake survival sex as for them it was the only viable option for managing homelessness. This can range from staying with a man for the night to longer-term situations where a woman would remain in a sexual relationship to avoid becoming homeless again. ‘No fixed abode’ increases the inability to maintain your physical, mental, and sexual health.
The Brighter Futures’ service stands with women who sex work and help them experience good health, safety, and emotional wellbeing. Their support is free, confidential, and easy to access via telephone, drop-in and community outreach sessions.
They support the rights of sex workers and those at risk of being exploited. We recognise and support the rights of individual sex workers to self-determination. This includes the right to remain in or leave sex work. They aim to empower our diverse community, focusing on ending violence and stigma through education, advocacy, and peer support.
Support for Adult Sex Workers in Stoke-on-Trent
We understand the many reasons why people sex work. We make no judgements about your situation – our concern is your safety and wellbeing.
Adult Sex Workers Service part of Brighter Futures has been supporting the rights of sex workers and those at risk of being exploited for over 25 years.