Creating Opportunities for Sex Worker Justice
What is the project?
This co-designed project will develop a sex worker-centered and trauma informed reporting tool for serious violent crime reporting by sex workers in Nottingham. In the UK, sex workers face inconsistent and discriminatory experiences accessing justice, resulting in very low reporting rates. The project aims to improve reporting options and relationships. With the overall aim to explore how we can address the barriers sex workers experience in accessing justice, thereby increasing worker safety.
What are the research questions?
Can a well-designed reporting tool, partnered with a Police Liaison Officer operating separate from the police, lead to improvements in reporting and sex workers access to justice?
What are the research methods?
This participatory research project will be guided by an Advisory Body including on and off-street sex workers, researchers, practitioners and law enforcement with expertise in forensic linguistics, policing, sex work and gendered violence.
Who will the tool be developed for?
The reporting tool will be developed for on and off-street sex workers, including street-based workers, online workers, migrant workers, brothel-based workers, home-operators, and escorts.
How will you develop the tool?
The reporting tool will be developed during three participatory workshops with sex workers, SARC and POW staff, the police, and academics. Sam & Larissa will facilitate the workshops.
How will you test the tool?
The tool will be piloted using scenario based interviewing with Larissa interviewing the PLO and POW clients. Sam & Larissa will refine the tool, ready for use by September 2023.
How will you evaluate the project?
In January 2024, Larissa will evaluate the PLO and reporting tool. Larissa will do this by using: Case studies. Being a researcher embedded at POW. Survey with sex workers in Nottingham. In-depth interviews with POW clients and staff, SARCs and Nottinghamshire Police.
Sex Worker Oversight
A Research Advisory Committee will include sex worker representatives.
For more information on the Research Advisory Committee Terms of Reference click here
Ethics
The research is in partnership with POW Nottingham and will be carried out with the approval of the University of Nottingham Research Ethics Committee, including strict measures for safeguarding, GDPR and data security.
All participants will be reimbursed for their contributions.
Contacts
Dr Larissa Sandy:
larissa.sandy@nottingham.ac.uk
Sam Richardson-Martin:
sam@pow-advice.co.uk
