Impact from our recent grant
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Since the beginning of 2009 Citylight has conducted 5 outreach visits to brothels within the Sussex area in partnership with Sussex Police, visiting a total of 19 brothels. Citylight staff and volunteers have been able to talk individually to the women working at each premise, explain to them about Citylight and how we can support them, and raise their awareness about trafficking.
Citylight has given intensive support to 10 women so far this year, and many of these are ongoing relationships. Support needs have included assisting women to access alternative accommodation, emotional support, benefits advice, sexual health checks, budgeting advice, advocacy, alternative employment, support to prevent re-entering prostitution and signposting to specialist services
Citylight in the last 3 months has started the process of establishing a Befriending Scheme. The staff and volunteers have received training in the area of befriending. We currently have one client on the Befriending Scheme, with the possibility of another 2 clients joining shortly.
The end of May saw the start of group work aimed at young women who have been identified as being at high risk of sexual exploitation. The group aims to address issues such as: ‘keeping safe’, ‘what is a healthy relationship?’; ‘sexual health’; and ‘boundaries and assertiveness’.
Quote from an English female, aged 23 – “Thank you feels like a ludicrous thing to say; two small words to encapsulate a tremendous feeling that I don’t have any more adequate ways of describing. However; these words come from my heart, you have shown me that amazing people really do exist…you showed me what my life could be…you fought for a real chance at a life for me; how can I ever tell you how much that has meant to me…Thank you for making it safe to at least to begin telling my story…You allowed me to just be me”
