Our Liberty project provides an outreach, engagement and recovery service to sexually exploited women involved in opportunistic and survival sex work/prostitution. Women involved in survival sex work are part of a nocturnal economy which makes them hidden and hard to reach. Most suffer with poor physical, mental and sexual health and struggle with unresolved issues related to historic child sex abuse or family breakdown/being in care. They are entrenched in high risk behaviours, lack of confidence and skills to engage in training/employment and are reluctant to engage with mainstream services.
Our service aims to reach, engage and empower in a uniquely holistic way, within a centre which provides a fenale only space, as part of a focused recovery journey that addresses their immediate needs for safety and inclusion and over time supports and empowers them to exit and break free from these exploitative situations
We work in partnership with a range of agencies across the area and are key members of the Stockton Sex Workers Forum and founder members of the North East Sex Workers Forum as a campaigning/influencing and learning body for the region. Our strength is the longevity of our engagement with the women to bring about and sustain positive change.
Our approach involves:
- 1:1 intensive recovery support
- An open access female only drop-in on a Monday for women who may be struggling with poverty, domestic abuse, isolation, anxiety or mental ill health
- Drop-in for women on caseload who have previously or are currently sex working
- Independent living programmes
- Health and fitness programmes
- Wellbeing Activity group
- Therapeutic programmes
- 1:1 psychotherapeutic counselling
- Outreach three nights a week offering practical support through food parcels, toiletry packs, clothes, hot food, safety packs, harm minimisation and needle exchange
- Family support
- Trauma and gender informed approach
- Holisting support operating within a centre that provides a female only safe space
- Offering support for women who have had contact with the criminal justice system
- A relational, non-judgmental approach which is strength based focussing upon empowerment incorporating the voice of the clients in co-production and design of our services
