We’re incredibly proud to share a new research report that puts lived experience at the heart of improving support for women involved in sex work in Walsall.
Commissioned by UKHSA and Walsall Public Health, and co-produced by UKHSA West Midlands, Walsall Council and Changing Lives, the research explores the experiences of women accessing local services and identifies what is needed to create more effective, accessible and compassionate support systems.
The project brought together insights from women with lived experience, alongside commissioners and service providers, highlighting how stigma, housing instability, fragmented services and unmet mental health needs can create significant barriers to accessing support. The report calls for more coordinated, trauma-informed and person-centred approaches that are shaped by the voices of the people who use them.
At Changing Lives, we were honoured to play a central role in the study through our Changing Lives IRIS project, helping to ensure that women could share their experiences in a safe and supportive environment. We are especially grateful to the women who took part in interviews. Their honesty, courage and insight have been instrumental in shaping the findings and recommendations.
We’re delighted to see the report already gaining recognition, having recently been presented at the 5 Nations Health Protection Conference in Glasgow, with ongoing discussions about developing the work into an academic journal paper.
This research reinforces the importance of listening to lived experience, investing in specialist support services, and working collaboratively across systems to improve health, safety and wellbeing for women involved in sex work.