Excluded even within inclusion health? The importance of exploring and addressing the health & wellbeing needs of people selling sex across Y&H - Webinar
Thursday 24 October 2024, 09:30 - 12:00
MS Teams Webinar
Details:
Across Yorkshire and the Humber, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID, part of the Department of Health and Social Care) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have been working in partnership with women with lived experience of sex work, local authorities, voluntary organisations supporting sex workers, NHS commissioners and providers, academics and the police, to improve our understanding about the health and wellbeing needs of people selling sex and to raise awareness across the wider system.
Chaired by Anna Hartley, Executive Director of Public Health and Communities, Barnsley Council and lead Director of Public Health for inclusion health across the region, this webinar was held to launch our interactive tool ‘A public health approach to sex work across Yorkshire and the Humber’.
We heard from:
- Academics about what we mean by sex work and what the research tells us about the needs of those selling sex
- UKHSA and OHID about the new tool and how it can be used
- Women with lived experience who are empowering women selling sex and reducing the stigma around sex work
- Providers of services supporting people selling sex
- Partnerships working together to support people selling sex
Useful links from the webinar chat:
- Sex worker needs analysis in Birmingham using a mixed methodology approach with a great focus on qualitative research to address the gaps in data: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/downloads/file/29291/sex_worker_health_needs_analysis
- Details of a dedicated health service in Peterborough: https://www.drinkanddrugsnews.com/a-place-of-safety-wildflowers-outreach-clinic/
- Guidance on working with online sex workers produced and led by sex workers with project workers and researchers: https://www.beyond-the-gaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/BtGpracticeguidancewedversionfinal.pdf
- YorSexual health provide an outreach service across York & North Yorkshire that works with sex workers.
- Beyond Support service is a free, confidential phone support service for women involved in the UK sex industry. As it is remote, we can provide support regardless of geography and provide support for up to 18 months. Please do feel free to signpost women if there are gaps in local specialist support services. This short video gives an overview of the service: https://beyondthestreets.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Beyond-Support-Animated-Video-2023.mp4
- Policing vulnerability - Learning from the sex work liaison officer role in West Yorkshire Police: https://www.n8prp.org.uk/home/library/small-grants/policing-vulnerability-learning-from-the-sex-work-liaison-officer-role-in-west-yorkshire-police/
- https://www.wypartnership.co.uk/our-priorities/population-health-management/adversity-trauma-and-resilience - some WY info about the adversity, trauma and resilience work
- The West Mids Combined Authority has launched a regional Trauma Informed Framework and tools: The West Midlands Trauma Informed Coalition
- Service in Rotherham that has done multi-agency work around trauma: https://www.rdash.nhs.uk/services/the-trauma-and-resilience-service-trs/