Call for Participants: Research into Visual Violence and Image-Based Abuse

Call for Participants: Research into Visual Violence and Image-Based Abuse
20 July 2021

A Black feminine figure on a gold background. They are wearing a NUM t-shirt and holding a mobile phone as if taking a selfie. The text reads: "Are you a sex worker in the UK or Ireland? Have you experienced image-based abuse within your work? If so, we'd like to hear from you."

About the Project

The internet has enabled sex workers to connect with customers, sell physical sex and sexual content, and form friendships and communities; however, with this comes an element of risk. Images can be used against sex workers to cause harm.

What We Want to Know

This research is deliberately broad and guided by sex workers and allies. We want to define what visual violence is and how it affects sex workers in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

We aim to understand how sex workers’ lives are affected by the non-consensual sharing of sexual and non-sexual images and the impacts of having images shared without permission.

Who We Are Partnering With

This research is conducted in a participatory manner in collaboration with sex worker organisations. We are proud to partner with Umbrella Lane (UL), the English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP), Sex Worker Advocacy and Resistance Movement (SWARM), Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) and individuals from under-represented groups.

Key dates and how you can get involved

Planning and development with partners of this research project started on 15th April 2021 and will end on 15th October.

  • Research interviews and surveys will commence on 4th June 2021 and run until 1st August 2021.
  • We will be inviting sex workers to surveys and interviews to help us learn more about visual violence and image-based abuses very soon. Please look out for announcements on social media.

If you are a sex worker who would like more information about this project please contact us at visualviolence@nationaluglymugs.org We’d love to hear from you.

Twitter: #VisualViolence2021