One25

What exactly is One25?

One25 reaches out to vulnerable women trapped in street sex-work, supporting them to break free and build new lives free from violence, poverty and addiction.

The 280 women One25 supports are among Bristol’s poorest and most vulnerable individuals. Most of the 220 women we see on the streets are homeless, acutely malnourished and addicted to drugs or alcohol: because of this their safety and health is neglected. We see women who are deeply traumatized – from childhood abuse and then in the extreme violence of their adult lives on the streets. Last year our beneficiaries reported 173 violent attacks against them and in the last 8 years, 13 young women have tragically died.

One25 gives them the intensive support needed to step away from the streets: whether for crisis support on our night van, an afternoon at the drop-in centre, or permanently with the help of one-to-one caseworkers and our new mother and baby home, Naomi House (more on these services below). ‘Beth’, wrote: “If it wasn’t for One25 I wouldn’t be where I am today – cleaned up, looking after my family, even going back into education…Without your support I definitely wouldn’t be alive. You gave me hope when no one else cared about me”

Our Track Record

We work very closely with the local police, drugs agencies, NHS, Barnardo’s, victim support agencies and many more relevant organisations to ensure that more vulnerable women and children in Bristol are prevented from getting caught up in this dangerous lifestyle and that many women each year are given the full package of support needed to escape.

In 2009, we won the England award at the Integrated Health Awards and in 2010 won the GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT Awards and Guardian Charity Awards. We were also the first organisation in the UK to get victim compensation money for street sex-workers and asa result of our inter-agency approach, Bristol secured the 2nd highest conviction rates for attacks against sex-workers. Our founder was also awarded an MBE for her work with One25.

Last year, One25 worked intensively with 108 women of whom: 25 stopped sex-working and 32 more maintained their escape from prostitution; 61 accessed addiction treatment;32 were reunited with safe family members; 69 used health services; 40 started therapy; 33 were securely housed and supported to maintain that tenancy; 30 reduced involvement with criminal justice as offenders and 34 were involved in training, education or employment.

Stats

• 280 service users of whom 220 currently sex-working
• 99% are addicted to one or more class A drugs and/or alcohol*
• All suffer from chronic physical, mental and/or sexual health problems and half suffer from acute ill-health*
• 66% are homeless *
• 65% reported being abused as children*
• 38% have been through fostering or children’s homes*
• 50% go through the criminal justice system each year (average)***
• 32% left school at 14 or younger *
• 92% suffer from malnutrition***
• Their age range is 18-53
• Nationally, only 1% of violent incidents against street based sex workers results in a conviction.

*Jeal, N and Salisbury, C (2004) @Self reported experiences of health services among street-based prostitutes’ British Medical Journal 65 pp 123
** (2001) ‘Violence against sex workers’ British medical Journal 332 pp524
*** One25’s own stats