The sex industry is complex and diverse. The women we support and journey alongside are dealing with complex life situations and multiple disadvantages. We have observed the huge barriers for women facing sexual exploitation to get the help and support they need. Women may have difficult housing situations, be experiencing domestic abuse, and/or have drug dependency. They may have experienced coercion, violence, or trafficking, with associated levels of trauma and distrust.
They may have tried to access support and have not been believed or listened to or have been seen as a ‘problem’ or ‘nuisance’. Often the label ‘prostitute’ or ‘sex worker’ comes with a range of stereotypes and connotations that are barriers to accessing services or finding routes out of sexual exploitation.
Prostitution is not all about sex. It is often about inequality, lack of opportunities, poverty, abuse of vulnerability and abuse of power. Beyond the Streets is committed to helping professionals, volunteers and interested members of the general public learn more about the complexities of the sex industry.
Beyond the Streets occupies a unique role as a charity – we are not simply a service delivery organisation nor a regular campaign organisation: alongside our direct work with women, we equip and support other projects across the UK to tackle the sexual exploitation that happens in every community.
We 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 sexual exploitation, and to support them to engage with women selling sex in a trauma-informed way.
If you are interested in pursuing training with us then contact us and we will arrange a diagnostic call, so we can best hear about your training needs.
Due to an increase in demand for bespoke training delivery, we have taken the decision to pause our open training sessions. If you'd like us to deliver training to your team or organisation, please contact us at training@beyondthestreets.org.uk.
ContactIn this 3-hour interactive training session, we explore the concept of survival sex. We look at what it is, why women might be involved in survival sex, and how understanding this term can enhance the support you provide to women. You will gain an understanding of what barriers women might be facing when accessing support services and will unpack what good practice in supporting those engaged in survival sex looks like.
This in-depth 3-hour training will allow you to dive into more detail around the issues surrounding ‘rescuing and empowerment’ and understand techniques including motivational interviewing. You’ll learn about the stages of change and how to assess an individual’s readiness for change.
This 3-hour training focuses specifically on supporting women who are seeking to leave the sex industry. The session explores the language, research and controversies around ‘exiting’ the sex industry. We’ll unpack models that seek to explain the different stages women may go through when seeking to leave the sex industry to help expand your toolkit for working alongside women.
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This interactive course delivered over two 3-hour sessions focuses on self-care and practical applications, particularly for staff who work in the Violence Against Women and Girls sector. The session includes lots of practical tips and strategies, while exploring trauma, its definitions, and the impact on workers. It is an in-depth session, equipping you with the foundations for working in environments that often involve stress, trauma, or other challenges.
Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews: NEW Expert Input Offer Read More
At Beyond the Streets we are acutely aware of the high number of homicides of women who sell and/or exchange sex.
In 2023, we published the first ever analysis of involvement in the sex industry amongst English Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs). Now known as Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (DARDRs).
Our experience as an expert panel member on a number of DARDRs over recent years has further highlighted a lack of confidence amongst DARDR panels around how to approach an individual’s involvement in the sex industry.
So as part of our commitment to ensuring that learning from Domestic Homicide Reviews concerning those involved in the sex industry brings about real change, today we are launching a new offer for DARDR Chairs and Panel Members designed to equip them with the insights and skills to fully consider the intersectionality of an individual’s experience and the barriers they may have encountered in accessing support.
Find out more about the expert support we can provide to you as a DARDR Chair or panel.
Our training sessions can take place online or in-person, depending on your needs and budget, and are delivered by trainers with years of specialist experience in this sector.
All of our training draws on women’s lived experience, academic research and over 20 years’ of practitioner experience.
Beyond the Streets launches new free resource and new training […]
Beyond the Streets launches a new report examining English domestic […]
Beyond the Streets launches a new resource on Lived Experience. […]
Beyond the Streets launches new report which highlights support needs […]
Beyond the Streets are delighted to launch three new practitioner […]