Sex Workers

SHADOW stands for Sexual Health And Drugs Outreach Work. First established in 1989, it is a project of long standing and signposts people into drug treatment and sexual health services. The duration and consistency of service delivery has resulted in the service being highly respected.

The service provides a regular, twice weekly, street based outreach service to commercial sex workers within the Waterhouse lane and surrounding areas of Hull.

SHADOW promotes:

safer sexual practices
harm minimisation amongst existing drug users
prevent drug misuse
advocacy service
limited needle exchange
referrals to other appropriate services
advice and information

SHADOW currently operates two shifts on a Monday and Wednesday evening, from: 8 to 11pm. Each shift is staffed by two workers - one shift leader and one volunteer.

The project also provides an outreach delivery service to on/off street workers, working from flats and houses, which operates every other Wednesday evening from 7 to 9.30pm.

In addition, SHADOW works with vulnerable young people involved in the sex industry; working on the streets. With this age group we liaise with emergency duty social workers and the police.

From April 2006 to March 2007, the SHADOW service had 449 contacts of which 178 were with injecting drug users. These represented 40% of our contacts.