Following a recent consultation on sex work within the borough, Newham Council has announced that it will be developing a new Sex Work Strategy which will place public health at the centre of approaches to support vulnerable people and reduce the stigmatisation and exploitation of street and off-street sex workers.
The public health approach to the new strategy follows extensive feedback from residents across the borough, partners as well as experts. The Council will co-design the new Sex Work Strategy using the vast experience and knowledge within our communities, including sex workers.
As part of the first phase of work and in order to determine the scale and nature of sex work across Newham, the Council will undertake a needs assessment in partnership with people with lived experience, residents and experts to identify local needs, gaps and wider community impact so that a comprehensive and holistic strategy can be developed. A review of best practices locally, nationally, and internationally will also be undertaken in order to develop solutions for Newham.
The Strategy will sensitively acknowledge the complexity of prostitution and the diversity of people involved who are at risk of harm; alongside supporting the Council’s recently published Domestic Abuse Strategy and the range of preventative measures already in place to stop violence against women and girls as well as the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
Councillor Neil Wilson, Cabinet Member for Adults and Social Care, said: “Our public health approach to developing a new Sex Work strategy will be shaped in partnership with those that have lived experiences and experts. The needs assessment will help us understand the complexities, challenges and harms facing street and off-street sex work as well as the impact on our communities. While we will be soon publishing the Council’s Public Space Protection Order consultation results, it will not be progressed with because we want to develop a Sex Work strategy that is holistic and offers long-term sustainable solutions to reduce the harmful impacts of sex working for sex workers as well as local residents.”
The new Sex Work strategy will be developed over the next 10 months, and will include a formal consultation. A final Sex Work strategy will be published in Spring 2024.
As the Council commences with the needs assessment and co-design phases of the Sex Work strategy, it remains committed in its support of street sex workers through existing commissioned services which provides specialist and outreach-based provisions as well as access to safe spaces in the north of the borough. The Council will additionally continue to work with residents impacted by sex work to as part of sensitively addressing community safety concerns.