Former police van safe space for sex workers
AFORMER police van is being used to help sex workers in Gloucestershire. Women in the sex trade in the county now have a mobile safe space where they can access discreet and non-judgmental support.
It comes in the form of a new drop-in van, provided to a charity by Gloucestershire Constabulary and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC).
The van is unmarked and has been sold to the Nelson Trust for £1.
It will support the charity’s Sex Worker Outreach Project, which the OPCC has backed financially since 2020.
The van was handed over to the charity last month and has since been furnished with comfortable blankets, lighting and storage, to allow outreach workers to offer practical support and safety advice to vulnerable women in Gloucestershire.
It is stocked with free alarms, sexual health information, condoms, nutritious food, drinks and warm clothing, with the aim of engaging with vulnerable women who might be dealing with addiction, childhood trauma, abuse and mental health problems.
Kirsten Fruin, head of commissioning for Gloucestershire OPCC, said: “The Nelson Trust’s Sex Worker Outreach Project has been pioneering in its approach towards positive change, and we’re proud to have funded it since 2020.
“This vehicle is the next step towards supporting even more women in Gloucestershire, and we hope that providing outreach on location will help identify vulnerable women who wouldn’t normally be aware or able to access support through the Nelson Trust’s Women’s Centres.”
The OPCC has provided £15,000 of funding to the Nelson Trust since 2020 through the Commissioner’s Fund, and will continue this support until March 2022, pending further decisions on the future of the fund.
A spokesperson for the trust said: “We’re already seeing great results from using the van, as it enables more privacy for women who wish to disclose information and be in a safe space off the street. We are also able to continue to identify and report risks posed to women from men, who are buying sex. And we’ve received positive feedback from the women who have received support from the service via the van.”
Previously, police vans were sold at auction at the end of their life within the constabulary fleet, but this is the second time a van has been sold for £1 to support a local charity – the first being Gloucester Food Bank.
Chief Inspector Rich Pegler said: “This is another excellent example of partnership work from the OPCC and the constabulary. The van will expand our offer of local accessibility and support to women. Pc Kelly Mansell and the Gloucester Neighbourhood Policing team will continue to work with the Nelson Trust to keep women safe and target those responsible for crimes committed against vulnerable women. We have made a lot of progress in the last three years but we have more to do to keep those at risk safe from harm.”