East London Project (Component B; version 1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A participatory mixed-method evaluation on how removing sex work-related police enforcement could affect sex workers’ safety, health and access to services, in East London
IRAS ID
231206
Contact name
Lucy Platt
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 1 days
Research summary
For a number of reasons sex workers are sometimes more likely to experience violence, sexually transmitted infections, HIV and sometimes higher levels of emotional ill-health (e.g. anxiety, depression). International research suggests criminalising sex work can exacerbate and perpetuate such harms. This research project will evaluate how removing sex work-related police enforcement could affect sex workers’ safety, sexual and emotional health (e.g. risk of HIV, STIs, depression and anxiety) and access to health and social care services, in East London (Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets). The project adopts a participatory, mixed-methods approach, in which academics, practitioners and sex workers will work as partners to make decisions over how the research is designed, conducted and used.
The project has four key components (A-D): (A) qualitative study; (B) a prospective quantitative cohort study; (C) mathematical modelling; (D) collation of routine sex work-arrest data.
In this study, we will use quantitative surveys (B) to measure how much sex work laws and enforcement affects sex workers’ safety, health and access to care, and how this changes over time. They will consist of two linked interviews conducted six months apart with male, female and transgender sex workers to collect self-reported data on policing, their working practices, demographic information (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity) and experiences of violence, emotional ill-health, and access to health/social care. These self-reported data will also be linked to biological measures of HIV, Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea.
Together component A, B and D will inform the development of a mathematical model (C), a computer simulation to evaluate the impact of removing sex work laws on sex workers’ health and safety. We will use the results to advocate for evidence-based policy and practice to improve the safety, health and well-being of sex workers in the UK and internationally.
REC name
London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/1454
Date of REC Opinion
31 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion