Hi all,

I have been asked by Northumbria Police to share the below information -

Northumbria Police are currently investigating an incident where a female may or may not be in the River Wear .
The female was potentially last seen on  the north side of the river bank, near the Wearmouth Bridge , Sunderland.  She may or may not be involved in sex work or survival sex.
Female , white European, 5ft 1 ? 2 , medium build, 25 ? 30 yrs old , shortish shoulder length hair (colour not known), local accent , wearing a checked scarf ? red & purple in colour, a skirt (no other details known)
She has approached a  male and offered him sex for ?5.00.
The male was white, grey hair, aged 56 yrs old, wearing a red padded jacket.
If anyone has information relating to the female or male please contact Northumbria Police on 101 ext 45483, quoting Incident Number 66 01/12/17

Changing Lives GAP/MAP provides a safe, confidential and supportive service for people involved in sex work. The project aims to minimise risk and harm, improve health and well-being, as well as exploring routes out of sex work.
 
Monthly Catch Up Meetings,
 The GAP/MAP project facilitate two monthly catch up meetings for those working for local escort agencies, and for those who work independently. One meeting is held in Newcastle and the other based in Darlington.
 
The meetings are a great networking opportunity and are also a safe place to speak to other escorts working in and around the areas. Free condoms and other sexual health resources are also provided from a local sexual health service.  The meetings are very relaxed and informal, a group of people meeting to have coffee and a catch up.  The location will not be advertised on the internet but please make contact with the project and we can explain where we meet, this is purely for confidentiality.
luisa.alvarez@changing-lives.org.uk  07812665042
Working hours, Mon-Fri 9-5pm.
 
Self Defence
 In the near future the project will be working together with a specialist team around personal protection and self-defence. One of the ways to protect your safety whilst doing escort work is to know your rights and be in control. Feeling physically empowered is important in this industry.
You have the right to:
•   set your boundaries before you are alone with a client
•   feel safe at work, both personally and sexually
•   say “No” and stop a service that is uncomfortable or not what you agreed to
•   leave a booking if a client is drunk, abusive or violent.
The Listening Post
 Life can sometimes be hard. Relationships end, people we love pass on, work & home life can be stressful. At times like this we often need a helping hand. The Listening Post can offer you a bit of extra support & someone to talk to when times are difficult.
How we feel affects every moment of our lives and yet it can be difficult to find the time to even take notice of our feelings. We just get on with it & hope that tomorrow will be a better day. Unfortunately ignoring our emotional health can store up problems for the future. We can become stressed; burnt out, down and getting on with it can feel harder and harder to do.
Talking about our problems can help. Since it can often be difficult to talk to the people around us about how we are feeling, the project has set up The Listening Post; a place where you can talk freely & confidentially about whatever is on your mind.
Please contact Luisa for more information on the details above.
 
Sexual Health Clinic
Worried about your sexual health? Not sure where to go and what to say?
Come and access our mobile sexual health clinic from the GAP office which operates on a fortnightly basis (every other Wednesday 10.00-1.00), provided by a specialist nurse from Newcastle GUM. We offer sexual health screening, contraception and pregnancy tests, smear tests and sexual health resources.
You can also use this opportunity to find out more about other tests/screens available from the GUM or your GP.  We are happy to set this up for you and/or attend with you.
 
121 Support
The project can also offer safe, confidential and supportive 121 sessions. Many of the individuals working with the project prefer to work with a Development Worker on a 121 level. The project can offer 121 sessions, either at the office on an appointment basis, or workers can come out and visit you at your home or even in town at a coffee shop.
We have developmental workers and can offer support in each of the following areas: Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham and Darlington.
 
Keeping Workers Safe
A Safe Service: We want to help keep individuals involved in sex work as safe as possible. The project offers safety packs - personal alarms, advice about how to keep yourself safe and some fun extras. GAP/MAP can provide support to escorts who have been a victim of a crime whilst doing sex work.  The team can anonymously report any crime to the police without giving away individual identity, but only if they want us to do so.  We will also be informed by the police whether there are particular dangers to watch out for or with punters.
 
Changing Lives has a close working relationship with Northumbria Police who have developed Dedicated Liaison Officers (DLOs) who provide support and advice to anyone who has experienced any form of crime in relation to sex work or sexual exploitation.
 
We work in partnership with National Ugly Mugs (NUM) helping to provide safer working environments for people involved with sex work.
The information that is shared with the project is then shared on a wider level with other escorts. If you would like to register with NUM and receive regular details of 'Dodgy Punters' please contact the project and we will send out a registration form, reports will be sent by post or email.

MAP (Male Action Project) Worker
We also have a MAP worker within our project who works specifically with men involved in sex work with a particular focus on sexual health.
Our worker is here to support men who may feel uncomfortable accessing mainstream services alone.

We have great links with local sexual health services where fast-tracked appointments and private waiting rooms can be organised in certain areas.

Doea anyone know when the next GAP drop-in session will be taking place? I’m new to all of this and being Toon-based thoughht I should check it out...

GAP Project escort drop-in Thursday 2nd May  NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Changing Lives & shine.
Laura changing lives - 07940535765
Sam- Shine-07970623836

Give us a call and we will let you know where and when to meet, its totally anonymous  we are simply a group of women having a cuppa and a chat
 Changing Lives GAP project and Shine will be providing FREE CONDOMS and other sexual health resources. We can offer further support if there is anything worrying you, We are here to listen.
come and grab a cuppa with us these meetings are really relaxed and informal we would love to see you there 

GAP Project escort drop-in Thursday 6th June NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Changing Lives & shine.
Laura changing lives - 07940535765
Sam- Shine-07970623836
Give us a call and we will let you know where and when to meet, its totally anonymous we are simply a group of women having a cuppa and a chat
Changing Lives GAP project and Shine will be providing FREE CONDOMS and other sexual health resources. We can offer further support if there is anything worrying you, We are here to listen.
come and grab a cuppa with us these meetings are really relaxed and informal we would love to see you there 

Hi Guys just a little message from the team at GAP/MAP re-COVID19
all groups are cancelled at the moment to comply with the government recommended social distancing this also means we are not offering any one to one support at the moment face to face. But we are offering support via phone calls we will be operating during work hours 9-5 Monday to Friday. It is a scary time and we understand it can be lonely especially for people self isolating so if you feel you need support work related or not it can just be a little chat if you feel you need it we are still here . I have copied some links below that you may find useful.
or just give me a call 07940535765
GAP X
https://uglymugs.org/um/covid-19-affecting-sex-workers/
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...vid-19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
ReplyReport

Hi everyone,
Just Luisa here from GAP, Please see information below regarding the service if you haven't already.
I am online and live today if anyone would like to reach out.
Sending love and hope
07812665042


Changing Lives GAP/MAP provides a safe, confidential and supportive service for people involved in sex work. The project aims to minimise risk and harm, improve health and well-being, as well as exploring routes out of sex work.

Monthly Catch Up Meetings,
The GAP/MAP project facilitate two monthly catch up meetings for those working for local escort agencies, and for those who work independently.
The meetings are a great networking opportunity and are also a safe place to speak to other escorts working in and around the areas. Free condoms and other sexual health resources are also provided from a local sexual health service. The meetings are very relaxed and informal, a group of people meeting to have coffee and a catch up. The location will not be advertised on the internet but please make contact with the project and we can explain where we meet, this is purely for confidentiality.
luisa.alvarez@changing-lives.org.uk  07812665042

Self Defence

In the near future the project will be working together with a specialist team around personal protection and self-defence. One of the ways to protect your safety whilst doing escort work is to know your rights and be in control. Feeling physically empowered is important in this industry.

You have the right to:
set your boundaries before you are alone with a client
feel safe at work, both personally and sexually
say “No” and stop a service that is uncomfortable or not what you agreed to
leave a booking if a client is drunk, abusive or violent.
The Listening Post



Life can sometimes be hard. Relationships end, people we love pass on, work & home life can be stressful. At times like this we often need a helping hand. The Listening Post can offer you a bit of extra support & someone to talk to when times are difficult.



How we feel affects every moment of our lives and yet it can be difficult to find the time to even take notice of our feelings. We just get on with it & hope that tomorrow will be a better day. Unfortunately ignoring our emotional health can store up problems for the future. We can become stressed; burnt out, down and getting on with it can feel harder and harder to do.



Talking about our problems can help. Since it can often be difficult to talk to the people around us about how we are feeling, the project has set up The Listening Post; a place where you can talk freely & confidentially about whatever is on your mind.



Please contact Luisa for more information on the details above.



Sexual Health Clinic

Worried about your sexual health? Not sure where to go and what to say?
Come and access our mobile sexual health clinic from the GAP office which operates on a fortnightly basis (every other Wednesday 10.00-1.00), provided by a specialist nurse from Newcastle GUM. We offer sexual health screening, contraception and pregnancy tests, smear tests and sexual health resources.


You can also use this opportunity to find out more about other tests/screens available from the GUM or your GP. We are happy to set this up for you and/or attend with you.

121 Support
The project can also offer safe, confidential and supportive 121 sessions. Many of the individuals working with the project prefer to work with a Development Worker on a 121 level. The project can offer 121 sessions, either at the office on an appointment basis, or workers can come out and visit you at your home or even in town at a coffee shop.



Keeping Workers Safe
A Safe Service: We want to help keep individuals involved in sex work as safe as possible. The project offers safety packs - personal alarms, advice about how to keep yourself safe and some fun extras. GAP/MAP can provide support to escorts who have been a victim of a crime whilst doing sex work. The team can anonymously report any crime to the police without giving away individual identity, but only if they want us to do so. We will also be informed by the police whether there are particular dangers to watch out for or with punters.



Changing Lives has a close working relationship with Northumbria Police who have developed Dedicated Liaison Officers (DLOs) who provide support and advice to anyone who has experienced any form of crime in relation to sex work or sexual exploitation.

We work in partnership with National Ugly Mugs (NUM) helping to provide safer working environments for people involved with sex work.

The information that is shared with the project is then shared on a wider level with other escorts. If you would like to register with NUM and receive regular details of 'Dodgy Punters' please contact the project and we will send out a registration form, reports will be sent by post or email.