Touching Base Inc. is a not-for-profit association, established in October 2000, in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Members include sex workers, people with a disability and staff from organisations providing services to people with disabilities. Although many experienced sex workers provide services to clients with various disabilities, there was no specific training available.
The development of the Professional Disability Awareness Training (PDAT) programme came from key recommendations from a community forum in January 2001. The workshop is for sex workers and sex industry staff only. Five training sessions have been delivered to date. Utilising key harm reduction strategies of peer education, community development and health promotion, PDAT aims to increase sex workers’ awareness, skills and knowledge on issues related to providing services to clients with disabilities. Topics include communication techniques, appointments via third parties (personal care attendant or family member), occupational health and safety, medical aspects, increasing awareness of different disabilities and associated special needs, legal issues, values and attitudes, psychological health and safety and peer support networking.
There has been increased awareness and recognition that sex workers can be trusted to provide a professional and respectful service to people with disability. This has led to an increased number of enquires to Touching Base for referrals to sex workers who attended the training. Sex workers have been empowered through their vital collaboration in the development, presentation and participation of this training programme.
Conflict of Interest: None disclosed
Financial Support/Funding: None disclosed
Recorded at the World Association of Sexual Health XIXth Congress, Sweden, June 2009
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