Getting out? Supporting women seeking to leave the sex industry

In this interactive training session, we explore the language and controversies around ‘exiting’ the sex industry and introduce participants to an overview of up-to-date research on routes out of the sex industry. Through the exploration of models developed to explore the processes of how women leave the sex industry, participants will gain an understanding of the non-linearity of leaving the sex industry, the complex interplay of multiple factors and explored actions to reduce barriers for women who want to stop and/or reduce selling sex. The session includes shared scenarios to practice and embed learning. By the end of the session, you will have gained confidence and skills to help you support women seeking to leave the sex industry.

This training is suitable for professionals from local authorities, statutory services and the charity sector who want to learn more about a woman-centred, trauma-informed approach to working alongside women. No existing experience of working with women involved in the sex industry is necessary. This training is also appropriate for those who are responsible for commissioning services for women.

The content is shaped by 25 years of practice and our continual bias of learning from women with Lived Experience.

Max number of participants – Places are limited to 20 in order to keep it interactive.

Please attend with one screen per person and a headset wherever possible. We strongly advise that you access the training from a computer rather than a mobile phone to ensure you are able to benefit from all the interactive elements of the training.

This event will take place on Microsoft Teams. The Microsoft Teams session will open at 9:25am to allow a settling in time for a prompt start at 9:30.

Eventbrite will send reminder emails ahead of the session with a Teams access link. If you have never used Eventbrite before it may ask you to create a free account.

About Beyond the Streets

Beyond the Streets is a UK charity working to see a society where everyone is able to live safe and independent lives, free from the structural inequalities and societal norms that compel women into selling sex. With over 25 years’ experience of partnering with women in the sex industry, we deliver trauma-informed, person-centred support, provide training for the third sector and statutory professionals, and create resources and reports informed by research, lived experience, and practitioner experience. Our training and partnership work seeks to equip professionals to understand the sex industry, particularly survival sex, and to support them to engage with women selling sex in a trauma-informed way.

About the Trainers

Your trainers for the session will be Lynne Tooze and Amy Bowdrey.

Lynne is the Service Manager for Door of Hope at Beyond the Streets. She has over 20 years’ experience supporting women involved in the sex industry. She has previously worked with people experiencing homelessness, young people, autistic people and people with a learning disability. An experienced trainer, Lynne has a Masters from the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit at London Metropolitan University.

Amy is the Policy and Engagement Lead at Beyond the Streets. She was a former Policy Advisor in the Victims’ and Witnesses’ Policy Unit at the Ministry of Justice and Criminal Justice Policy Lead at Refuge, where she led campaigns to tackle police perpetrated violence against women and girls and the prison capacity crisis. Before this, she was a founding member of a start-up domestic abuse support service and held a policy and research role within policing.

Important information for self-care

Please be aware that the content of the training includes discussion of sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, addiction, and child sexual abuse. Whilst we seek to discuss this in a way that is respectful and trauma-informed, we appreciate that participants may find it emotionally challenging and distressing. During the training, we encourage participants to turn off cameras temporarily or step away from the session in order to look after themselves and feel as grounded as possible. We also suggest building in a 30 min-1 hour window after the training before you are expected to resume your usual duties to allow yourself some time to process the content covered.

Terms and Conditions

If you are booking a place for someone else, please make sure to add their name & email address so that they receive the email with access links.

Beyond the Streets reserves the right to cancel / postpone an event at anytime. If we have to cancel / postpone up to 2 weeks before the due date, we will either offer you a refund or reserve you a place on another date.

If you cancel with less than 2 weeks before the due date no refund or place will be offered. For more information contact training@beyondthestreets.org.uk.

For more information on our work, please visit www.beyondthestreets.org.uk