[Skip to Content]
Supporting Women Who Sex Work: Why Frontline Training Matters

Supporting Women Who Sex Work: Why Frontline Training Matters

Supporting Women Who Sex Work: Why Frontline Training Matters

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

On 25th February 2025, the Leeds Women’s Homelessness and Housing Network hosted a powerful training session led by Amber Wilson from Basis Yorkshire: “Introduction to Working with Women Who Sex Work” as we know sex workers are over-represented in hidden homelessness and experience stigma in all systems including housing and health.

The session shed light on the unique challenges faced by women who sex work—many of whom are stigmatised and marginalised by support systems that often aren't designed with their needs in mind. One of the first questions asked—“Is sex work legal in the UK?”—prompted the common response: “It’s complicated.” And that complexity underscores the importance of this training.

Participants explored the legal grey areas, the societal stigma and the many barriers women face when accessing services including those addressing homelessness—ranging from fear of judgment and safety concerns to pressure to leave sex work. Recurring themes were the repetition of trauma that can occur when women are forced to repeatedly share their stories with different services, the lack of understanding of the risk of being outed as a sex worker, the reasons why women sex work and the barriers this creates.

Feedback showed the session was found informative and eye-opening, especially around respectful language, legal context and practical ways to improve frontline responses. It was particularly helpful for those new to the sector, offering a strong foundation to build from.

Training like this is essential. It equips frontline workers with the understanding needed to support women with compassion, clarity and without judgment while having clarity on the legal framework. A big thank you to Amber Wilson and Basis Yorkshire for delivering such a meaningful and informative session.

News and Views

collapse/expand
  • Brain Injury Guidance

    Brain Injury Guidance

    Leigh Andrews of Change Communication offered specialist advice on brain injuries and homelessness through a digital...
  • End Furniture Poverty Survey

    End Furniture Poverty Survey

    End Furniture Poverty have recently spoken with the Frontline Network to discuss their important ongoing survey, seek...
  • Cover the Cost Campaign

    Cover the Cost Campaign

    Jasmine Basran, Senior Policy Officer at Crisis, talks to us about the Cover the Cost Campaign, asking the Government...
  • VRF Impact Report 2018/19

    VRF Impact Report 2018/19

    Over the past year we have given out 3827 grants totaling £1,156,805 through the VRF. Read the latest Impact Report t...
  • Influence from the Frontline

    Influence from the Frontline

    Frontline workers are crucial at giving insight into the viewpoints of the people they work with as well as the chall...
  • The Vagrancy Act

    The Vagrancy Act

    Crisis, along with others including Homeless Link, Cymorth Cymru, Centrepoint, St Mungo’s, Shelter Cymru and the Wall...
  • Influencing local decisions

    Influencing local decisions

    Zoe, Frontline Network Coordinator at Coventry Citizens Advice, talks to us about the Coventry Frontline Network and...
  • The Litigant in Person Network

    The Litigant in Person Network

    Martha de la Roche, Network Development Manager at Litigant in Person Network (LiP Network), tells us about The LiP N...
  • VRF Impact Report

    VRF Impact Report

    Find out what impact VRF had last year and how to get involved in shaping its direction in the coming year.
  • Housing First Scotland

    Housing First Scotland

    Please see here for the first issue of Housing First Connect - a twice-yearly newsletter for Scotland’s new Housing F...
  • Slaying the Dragon

    Slaying the Dragon

    Will Golding, Edinburgh Tutor at Crisis, talks to us about 'Slaying the Dragon'.
  • CPAG - Early Warning System

    CPAG - Early Warning System

    Dan Norris, from CPAG, talks to us about a new Early Warning System to record the impact of benefit changes implement...
  • The Hostile Environment

    The Hostile Environment

    Bethan Lant, a Project lead from Praxis, writes about the creation of a hostile environment for migrants and refugees.
  • Wrexham’s Crisis Cafe

    Wrexham’s Crisis Cafe

    Sinead Kelleher writes about Wrexham's Crisis Cafe, a multi-agency response to Universal Credit.
  • Frontline Worker Survey

    Frontline Worker Survey

    We are asking frontline workers to participate in a survey, aimed at those working with clients who are experiencing...
  • A map through conflict

    A map through conflict

    A Cyrenians Mediator writes about their innovative Amber Mediation and Support Project, a model of mediation and supp...
  • “A place to call home"

    “A place to call home"

    Hannah Gousy was seconded from Crisis to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) to help design policy recommendations to...
  • A London Nightshelter

    A London Nightshelter

    On 7 November we opened our church-based shelters for the winter with more churches signed on then ever before. Glass...
  • 'Step Up' at The Connection

    'Step Up' at The Connection

    Wyn Newman introduces the volunteer programme 'Step Up' that has been developed at The Connection for service users.