We are independent researchers carrying out research on behalf of the Red Project (https://theredproject.co.uk/). The project, which is managed by Birmingham and Solihull Rape and Sexual Violence Project (RSVP), offers emotional support, specialist information and advice to women sex workers in Birmingham and Solihull affected by sexual violence. The project provides advice on issues such as sex workers’ rights, sexual health and reporting incidents of violence. As part of its holistic approach, it also offers referral to specialist counselling and therapeutic support, as well as drop-in sessions in partnership with other agencies.
The Red Project wants to find out how they can better promote and improve their services to women working in the online sector (including escorting, webcamming, BDSM or fetish work, adult film or sexual massage). This research is funded by the Feminist Review Trust, which has approved the ethical statement for the study. The Trust has previously funded other projects related to sex work, including the Sex Worker’s Opera.
We appreciate many people may not be working during the Covid-19 crisis: this research applies to anyone who was working before the lockdown. If you are a sex worker who usually advertises online, and if you currently work/have worked recently in Birmingham or Solihull, or live in either of these areas or elsewhere in the West Midlands and think you may have need of the services of the Red Project at any time, please help us and complete a short survey, which is anonymous and confidential. You can access the survey by clicking on the following link: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/0FJDDS/. The survey should take you no more than 5 minutes to complete. The data from the survey will only be used to inform future services delivered by the Red Project, in order to ensure you are getting the services you need and want.
As a way of saying ‘thank you’ for participating in the survey, we are giving the option to take part in a prize draw, with a first prize of a Love2Shop online voucher worth £100 and 5 runner up prizes of vouchers worth £50 each. If you would like to take part in the prize draw, please leave your email address at the end of the survey. We will not link this to the data from the survey and will not keep it after the prize draw is completed. The data we receive from the survey is held on UK servers; we do not get information about your IP address or any other digital trace.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Jane Pitcher on pitcherjane02@gmail.com, or Rosie Campbell on rosiecampbelluk@gmail.com. Jane and Rosie have many years’ experience of doing research with sex workers and recently worked together on the Beyond the Gaze study (https://www.beyond-the-gaze.com/). If you would like further information about the services provided by the Red Project, please contact Claire Mulgrue on Claire@rsvporg.co.uk.
We are also doing a small number of confidential telephone interviews, in addition to the survey. If you would like to take part in an interview, please email Rosie Campbell on rosiecampbelluk@gmail.com. The interviews will take approximately 30 minutes and a Love2Shop online voucher of £40 is offered to people who take part in these.