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Sex Work and Prostitution
These pages cover the issues of sex work and prostitution as they affect homeless people. Homelessness is common amongst sex workers and all too often a lack of stable accommodation hinders any attempts to exit prostitution.
The links between sex work and homelessness are multi-layered and as a result any solution is likely to require the involvement of more than one service. Sex workers often require support with mental or physical health issues and with drug or alcohol addiction, alongside any housing assistance. At present there are too few housing providers able or willing to address the diverse needs of this vulnerable group.
For the vast majority of women exiting sex work is a long-term process. It is essential that support services recognise this and work with colleagues in other agencies and statutory bodies to offer understanding and a long term, consistent approach.
Prostitution strategy
In November 2004 Homeless Link worked together with member agencies with specialist services for sex workers to develop our response to the government’s Paying the Price consultation on prostitution. The government’s response to the consultation was published in January 2006. The Coordinated Prostitution Strategy and summary of responses to Paying the Price, looks at the key issues brought up by respondents and the policy developments proposed by the government in response. It also highlights areas of good practice in responding to prostitution.
- Homeless Link Briefing - Briefing on strategy and impact of our response to the Paying the Price consultation.
- Paying the Price consultation response - Homeless Link's response to consultation (Nov 2004)
Further information
Further resources and links are available on the London team's sex work and prostitution pages, including the notes of our January 2006 Spotlight event.
Read the latest on sex work and prostitution on the Homeless Link website.