The SWISVA Partnership Project was established with the aim of improving the support sex workers receive after sexual violence and beyond. Funded by the National Lottery, the partnership originally consisted of Bais Yorkshire, National Ugly Mugs and POW Nottingham, three organisations aligned through their rights-based, harm reduction approach to supporting sex workers. Unfortunately, due to operational challenges, POW Nottingham was no longer able to be part of the project.
Following substantial consultation re potential new partners, we are now delighted to welcome A Way Out to the partnership, who bring with them over 20 years’ experience of supporting sex workers in and around Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough. Their incorporation into the partnership coincides with a number of exciting changes for the organisation, including a rebrand designed to reflect their current values, support and approach. A Way Out shares our values of full decriminalisation, trans inclusion and a rights-based approach to supporting sex workers across the diversity of the industry. Their rebrand makes it clear that they, like NUM and Basis, can support people to stop selling sex, while not being a condition to our services. All partners respect the rights and autonomy of those who sell sex, while recognising the conditions which constrain their choices. As a partnership, we are excited to continue learning from one another, sharing resources and expertise, and advocating collectively for the rights of sex workers locally and nationally.
We also continue to support POW Nottingham as they design a new organisational strategy and work to rebuild their services. We look forward to working with them, alongside other organisations who support sex workers’ rights.
Moya Woolven, CEO, Basis Yorkshire: I am delighted to share that A Way Out have formally joined the SWISVA Partnership; having worked with A Way Out over many years now, we know that they are very much aligned with our stance on supporting sex workers. Over the past year, specifically we have worked together in challenging stigma and the conflation of sex work and sexual exploitation and the importance of decriminalisation in order to keep sex workers as safe as possible. We also welcome the opportunity to learn from each other as part of the SWISVA program and other potential collaboration opportunities.
Lynsey Walton, CEO, NUM: I am delighted to welcome A Way out to the SWISVA Partnership. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Kaye over recent months and spending some time with her team. It was clear from the start that we all shared a commitment to supporting sex workers with dignity, respect and without judgement.
As a partnership, the heartbeat of our work has always been that meaningful support starts with listening to people, respecting their autonomy and recognising the realities of their lives. A Way Out brings decades of experience supporting sex workers and women facing multiple forms of disadvantage, alongside a willingness to reflect, learn and evolve. Their recent work to ensure their values, language and services truly reflect the voices of those they work with is a testament to this. My goal is that by working together, sharing expertise and learning from one another, we can strengthen support for sex workers and advocate for systemic changes to improve safety, access to justice and wellbeing.
I am excited about what this next chapter of the SWISVA Partnership will bring and look forward to working alongside A Way Out, Basis Yorkshire and the wider sector to create lasting change.
Kay Nicholson, CEO, A Way Out: We are delighted to be part of the SWISVA Partnership Project, working with amazing specialist partners to learn, advocate and influence for the rights of sex workers in our community. In recent months we have undertaken a significant programme of change and development to reflect how the services have evolved over the years and respecting those we work with. This is culminating in a rebrand due for Oct 26 that recognises the gender and trauma informed work we now undertake and honours our roots whilst also empowering the choices of the women and girls we serve in our communities. We remain as committed as ever to standing alongside those we serve to address stigma, discrimination and disadvantage.