Hi,

My name is Zaz Ali (https://www.linkedin.com/in/zazali). I'm a UX professional trying to develop a tech tool to improve sex worker personal safety. I'm not a sex worker, so I want to fully understand the safety issues faced in the profession before trying to design a technology tool for it.

I'm not aligned with any charities or organisations but am doing this as a personal project, which unfortunately means that I have no funding to do paid research sessions.

However, it would be extremely helpful to get answers to the following question:

What are the top three problems you face day-to-day in your role as a sex worker?

These could be related to safety but don't necessarily have to be. If you could also explain why each one is a problem and the way in which it affects you that would be very useful - the more detail the better really!

The big assumption I'm running on is that a technology tool is actually needed. By understanding the everyday problems, I should be able to understand whether or not this is the case.

Please email answers to zfali90@gmail.com or if you'd prefer, simply respond on this forum thread.

From reading other posts, I know there is a concern about how respondents' answers could be used. Nothing sent to me will be shared or published anywhere - I'm doing this purely to explore whether my idea is feasible or not. I'm not coming at this with any sort of agenda or ideological viewpoint, apart from a (perhaps idealistic) belief in the power of tech to improve people's everyday lives.

Please do get in touch if you'd like to know more about the project or other ways of getting involved.

Thank you!

Zaz

Hi MistressMorgana,

A potential feature could be letting you know if a new number that contacts you is an arsehole that has been flagged by other sex workers in the past. Not quite psychic though, I'm afraid.

Not wanting to use my 'tool' (for lack of a better piece of jargon) is still valuable feedback though, so thank you.

Best,

Zaz

Yeah I know about the NUM app but not the other two - thanks Amy. And fair play, was a bit snide to ask for advice for free. Apologies for time wasting.

Hi BibiofLeeds,

Thanks for your reply.

I picked the sex worker industry because I saw Toni Mac's TED Talk on the legal frameworks around sex work in different countries. Something that came across strongly from her talk was that safety was one of the most important arguments for decriminalisation. In an ideal world, sex workers shouldn't need technology to keep safe whilst working - the law itself should keep people safe. However, failing that (as is the case in this country) I just got thinking and wondered whether tech could be put to good use here.

I've done a lot of Internet research on safety issues, but these are all understood through the lens I interpret them with - I could very easily misunderstand contexts and make assumptions when designing something. Hence, why I wanted to ask sex workers themselves what was most important to them.

I'm going to take a more detailed look through the threads on this forum though...I didn't before as it felt a bit voyeuristic reading through them, as people are contributing intending sex workers to read them, not random people browsing.

Best,

Zaz

Buying and selling sex isn't illegal but the supporting business activities are...isn't that where the safety issues come in...as that's where the law isn't protecting workers?

 What exactly is it you were thinking some random who's watched a Youtube video can add to this?

I was trying to figure out if I could add any value - one of the points of a TED Talk is to spread awareness and encourage people to get involved right? And from everything you've all said, creating a shiny app isn't the way to go about it - that's a good thing to know. I'm going to look more into decrim campaigning.

Thanks everyone whose taken the time to reply to this thread.

Zaz

I dont understand why there is such an apparent hostility towards this guy? He is clearly legitimate and has some good intent. Why would you not encourage that?

Please explain how this person is 'clearly legitimate'. And legitimate in what sense?

The app you're looking for incidentally, is called Truecaller and already exists. And you know what they say the road to hell is paved with.

A random person who doesn't work in and supposedly has no knowledge of or involvement/regular contact with the sex industry or prostitution suddenly decides out of the blue to spend an inordinate amount of his own time, knowledge and money to develop some non-specific technological 'thing' for prostitutes - without having any idea what this 'thing' should comprise? Why?

If you were a technology person looking to develop a new idea as a 'personal project', how many different and lucrative sectors do you think you'd mentally list before you came up with prostitution? Finance, insurance, agriculture, property, healthcare, fashion, transport, retail, hospitality, construction, manufacturing, entertainment - none of these would even cross your mind first? I call bullshit.