At NUM, we centralise sex workers in all our work and privilege those with lived experience in our teams and in leadership, because ‘ending all forms of violence’ ought not be done any other way. The NUM team comprises individuals with a blend of lived experience, formal qualifications, and experience as practitioners, all of whom develop and deliver our services. This approach ensures that what we do at NUM is consensual, effective and informed by the people who we serve.
Sex work stigma has detrimental effects on many, and significantly impacts those of us who also experience other forms of marginalisation and discrimination. Based on our recognition of this, people who work at NUM are under no obligation to declare their lived experiences of sex working, and other forms of marginalisation that they experience in their personal and professional lives.
We hope you will join us in supporting members of the NUM team to exercise agency and choice in what they disclose about themselves. NUM is concerned with sex worker safety and this extends to active and former sex workers who choose to apply their talents and gifts towards achieving NUM’s mission.
Leadership Team
Chief Executive Officer
Lynsey Walton
she/her
lynsey@nationaluglymugs.org
Lynsey became CEO of National Ugly Mugs in April 2025, after joining the team in 2022 as Vocational Support Coordinator and later stepping into the role of Operations Manager. She brings over 15 years’ experience in HR, leadership and organisational development, with a focus on creating real, people-centred change in places where it’s often most needed. Her background spans the corporate world, small businesses, and non-profits—but her passion has always been supporting people in non-traditional work environments and fighting for fairness, inclusion, and recognition.
With a Master’s in HR Management and a strong foundation in workplace strategy and cultural change, Lynsey is all about translating good policy into real-world impact. She’s particularly interested in how corporate best practices can be adapted to empower communities and strengthen grassroots work—without ever losing sight of lived experience. At NUM, she’s focused on keeping the organisation strong and sustainable, while pushing for national policy changes that centre sex workers’ rights and safety.
Lynsey has been connected to the sex worker community since 1999 and is proud to bring that perspective to her leadership. She believes change works best when it’s collaborative, practical, and rooted in real stories and skills.
Outside of work, she loves getting creative—whether that’s turning nudes into digital artwork, experimenting with drag makeup, or hanging out with her cats.
Acting Manager of Support Services (ISVA)
Bethan Regan
she/her
bethan@nationaluglymugs.org
Bethan stepped into the ISVA Support Services Manager role from April 2025, where she works closely with the CEO for the strategic development of NUM services. She often represents NUM in external/stakeholder meetings, amplifying the voices of sex workers in spaces where they may otherwise be marginalised due to intricate social and political challenges. With a focus on tact, integrity, and confidentiality, Bethan addresses these complex issues affecting the community, always mindful that her own voice should not overshadow theirs. Bethan originally joined NUM in February 2024 as our Victim Support Casework Coordinator, focusing on the day-to-day running of the small but mighty casework team and providing individualised support to sex workers. Bethan is passionate about equity, diversity, and inclusion, and has a professional background in providing person-centred and trauma-informed support around crime and major incidents, with a focus on supporting people impacted by sexual violence.
In 2022, Bethan completed her Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) qualification, where she focused on how people within marginalised communities can be impacted by both sexual violence and hate crime. Before this, Bethan completed a research-led dissertation looking into how members of the LGBT+ community from the South Wales Valleys understand hate crime, where she found there was a strong sense of resilience and power amongst them. Bethan not only looks at the challenges, but the joy and liberation which comes from being a part of a community such as the queer or sex worker community.
In her spare time, she enjoys supporting burlesque performers, watching ice hockey… although she has no idea what the rules are, and cooking for loved ones while they rewatch nostalgic music videos with her two dogs – Ted and Stevie.
Research and Development
Special Consultant: Head of Research, Innovation, and Expansion
Dr. Raven Bowen
she/her
raven@nationaluglymugs.org
Raven joined NUM in 2018 and served as its CEO until mid 2025. Beginning 1 July 2025, she focusses on research partnerships, spearheading innovation projects, and enhancing eLearning offerings. Other priorities include digital innovation for broader impact, and producing multimedia materials that contribute to education, justice and advocacy initiatives.
Raven has an MA in Criminology and a PhD in Sociology. Her research interests are in methodologies, research ethics, the sociology of work, critical criminology, transitioning or ‘exiting’, and what she terms ‘duality’- concurrent involvement in sex work and square (mainstream) jobs. To read more about duality, see her book ‘Work, Money and Duality: Trading Sex as a Side Hustle’ published by Policy Press. Raven’s involvement in community development with sex workers spans three decades and two countries, Canada and the UK. She founded and contributed to several sex worker support projects, advocacy organisations, research projects and safety initiatives. She is unapologetic about demands to include sex workers as experts, as leaders, and as our greatest assets in combating injustice, exploitation and violence. Raven stands against unethical, exclusionary politics and hypocrisy in general! She works towards the full cultural citizenship of sex workers, inclusive of safety, rights, recognition, choices and other entitlements.
In her spare time she writes, games, plays a little guitar and ponders the meaning of life.
Research Coordinator (Sex Workers Evaluate Reporting Violence – SWERV Project)
Elizabeth McGuinness
(she/her)
Elizabeth is an advocate and researcher at the intersections of human rights, mental health, gender, violence, disability, sexuality, and stigma. She is also a prior activist for sexual and reproductive health rights on the Island of Ireland, and current mental health peer-provider with an e-health intervention. This is in tandem to six-years’ of professional experience along the research-policy-programme-design pipeline at regional and international levels. Following obtaining a M.A. in Human Rights from the European Inter-University Centre in 2016, her focus was placed on intimate-partner violence, non-partner sexual violence and violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. Since gaining a M.Sc. in Global Mental Health joint between LSHTM and King’s College London in 2021, her work has veered more towards rights-based transformation of mental health systems, as well as in scaling of psychological interventions demonstrating efficacy for for violence survivors.
Elizabeth is currently part of the European Sex Work Research Network (ESWORN), as well as the WHO Expert Working Group on Measurement of Violence Against Women with Disabilities. Above all, she is passionate about transfusing the lived experience of her communities (as well as those whose struggles are interwoven) within epidemiological evidence, towards overhaul of carceral systems.
Administrative Team
Administrator
Tania
she/her
tania@nationaluglymugs.org
Tania joined NUM in 2022. As the Administrator, Tania assists in the regular day-to-day tasks of the organisation from membership management to socials. She helps things to run smoothly so teams can dedicate their time and energy to providing vital support services and keeping members safe. A strong sense of justice led her to pursue study into marginalisation and how policy processes can reinforce existing inequality. Sex workers’ exclusion from UK government support schemes during COVID-19 emphasised the dangers of the current policy climate around sex work and the desperate need for change. She was inspired by the tremendous efforts of the community and allied organisations in implementing rapid support for sex workers so they didn’t completely fall through the gaps.
Outside of her work at NUM, she enjoys video games, live music and woodland walks with a long podcast.
Casework Administrator
Nix
she/they
nix@nationaluglymugs.org
Nix joined NUM in 2020 and became Casework Administrator in 2023. They have also contributed as a Brief Intervention/Caseworker and Grants Writer, bringing a strong commitment to supporting sex workers’ rights and safety. A firm advocate for the decriminalisation of sex work, Nix is passionate about activism and social justice.
In their spare time they enjoy spreadsheets, research and spending time with their 10 cats.
Support Services
Manchester Sex Worker ISVA
Rosalie Davidson (Rosie)
she/her
rosalie@nationaluglymugs.org
Rosie joined NUM in 2024 as an ISVA based in the Manchester office. She supports people who have experienced sexual violence and wants to pursue their case in the criminal justice system.
She has a Masters in Political Theory and specialised her studies around sexual violence/exploitation with a focus on how rape harms a sense of ‘selfhood’ for her dissertation. At University she volunteered with various charities including ‘Stop the Traffik’ ‘Irise International ‘Ashiana’. Following this, she gained her first role in the charity sector at a trafficking charity working outreach and then managing the refuge. Rosie moved to a domestic abuse charity and managed a refuge for domestic abuse for three years. She is a qualified I.D.V.A, I.S.V.A and I.S.A.C worker. She specialised in high risk domestic abuse, sexual abuse and stalking cases.
Rosie is passionate about ending sexual violence in the sex worker community whilst putting their experiences at the forefront, shaping her advocacy.
Playing rugby, and practising yoga is what Rosie loves to do outside of work, with a keen interest in keeping up to date with domestic and international politics!
London Sex Worker ISVA
Iona Dovetta
she/her
iona@nationaluglymugs.org
Iona is NUM’s London based ISVA, supporting sex workers who have experienced violence through a trauma-informed approach. She cares passionately about sex workers rights and is committed to amplifying sex worker voices within her advocacy. Prior to working at NUM, Iona supported domestic abuse victims through criminal and civil justice systems, as well as providing practical and emotional support. Iona has an academic background in film studies, with a particular specialism in intersectional feminist analysis of documentary media.
Outside of work, Iona is busy developing her life-drawing and ceramics practices, and using yoga to decompress and stretch after big weekends of making art.
Youth Justice Lead
Ella McCreton
she/her
ella@nationaluglymugs.org
Ella became NUM’s Youth Justice Lead in November 2025 after over two years with the organisation. She began as a Vocational Delivery and Development Assistant, supporting sex workers to explore diverse career paths, before moving into a Victim Support Caseworker role providing one-to-one emotional and practical support. Now, as Youth Justice Lead, she customises and develops services focused on young sex workers, ensuring they co-produce and shape change throughout the process.
Ella has a degree in Sociology and Criminology, with a dissertation on global sex work legislation and its impact on stigma and risk. She is passionate about sex workers’ rights and challenging stigma, and engages with advocacy both in her work and the community.
Outside of work, she enjoys the gym, concerts, badminton—and survived the winds of Leedsfest 2024.
NUMbrella Lane
Manager
Allie
she/her
allie@nationaluglymugs.org
Scotland Victim Support Caseworker
Louise Wells
she/her
louise@nationaluglymugs.org
Louise recently joined NUM in October 2023 as a Scotland Victim Support Caseworker, focusing on supporting Scottish sex workers from the NUMBrella Lane drop-in centre. Louise will also be building stronger relationships with Police Scotland and other Scottish partner organisations. She has been active in sex worker rights since joining the Sex Worker Union in 2017 and was co-chair when the first committee was formed. She has spoken about the need for Decriminalisation to other Trade Unions and at events calling for Decriminalisation across the country. During covid Louise worked with SCOT-Pep to help sex workers access government and mutual aid funding, whilst advising government funding groups on how best to centre sex workers’ needs.
In her spare time Louise loves live music, exotic food, tramping round the countryside and pestering her moody cat for attention.
Mental Health Support Services
Mental Health Support Services Co-ordinator
George Lewis
he/him
mentalhealthsupport@nationaluglymugs.org
George joined NUM in 2020 and is responsible for co-ordinating and building our resources to support the mental health of sex workers.
He has been involved with sex worker rights and service provision for over 25 years, in various roles with groups throughout the UK and Europe. His introduction to the community was through SCOT-PEP in Edinburgh, who were the first group in the UK to operate an Ugly Mugs scheme.
Away from work, George’s main passions are music (particularly live) and travel. Both of these have obviously been curtailed recently, but he now has an alternative distraction in his year-old grand-daughter.
Racial Justice Project
Racial Justice Project Coordinator
As the Racial Justice Project Co-ordinator, Mutsa’s role sees them overseeing efforts to research and challenge public policies and practices across five key sectors (higher education, policing, healthcare, housing, and third-sector). This initiative is not just a research project but a collaborative act of advocacy and justice, aiming to address systemic inequities faced by racialised sex workers.
Mutsa brings with them a background in community-based research, workshop facilitation, healing justice, and artistic co-production. They are an anti-disciplinary researcher, one who is critical of the structures that have historically reproduced harm within marginalised communities.
They are fiercely passionate about affirming and enabling sex workers to be seen as experts in research and policy developments due to their lived experiences. They see themself as an activist-artist-scholar, using art as an organising and storytelling principle with liberatory aims.
In their free time, Mutsa is a world builder and Game Master in Dungeons and Dragons; running multiple horror-based afrofantasy campaigns. Their favourite book is Physics of Blackness: Beyond the Middle Passage Epistemology by Michelle M. Wright
Admin Support for Racial Justice Project
Cass joined the team in September 2025 as admin support for the Racial Justice Project, working to give voice to racialized sex workers and create change in policy and standards in 5 key sectors; higher education, policing, healthcare, housing and support services.
With nearly 15 years of lived experience in the sex worker industry she is passionate about the rights other community and has been part of grass root sex worker collectives for the past 5 years with a strong focus on performance art based activism and sex worker run events. She loves when sex workers are given a platform to tell their stories and showcase their art.
Outside of NUM, she enjoys working on films and photoshoots, cabarets and hanging out with her dog and her rabbit.
Vocational Support
Vocational Support Coordinator
Sally Anderson
she/her
sally@nationaluglymugs.org
Sally joined National Ugly Mugs in 2023 to support Vocational Services and the delivery of the Changing The Game series of workshops.
She has an MSc in Psychology with a particular interest in qualitative research, and social identity in subcultures and marginalised groups. Sally is a practising multidisciplinary artist, implementing her understanding of the wellbeing benefits of arts participation. Her background is in performance, particularly pole and fire dance, but increased her visual arts practice during covid which is her current focus. She regularly delivers creative workshops and courses to young people, LGBTQ+ groups, and people living with dementia and their carers. In 2023 Sally completed a PGCE with a specialism in special educational needs and disabilities. Working with National Ugly Mugs in Vocational Services is a dream job, building on her interest in lifelong learning, wellbeing, and equity in education and culture.
In her spare time, Sally likes skydiving, roller skating, and is partial to a vegan sausage roll.
