Reporting Experiences of Harm by Police
In light of the recent sentencing regarding Metropolitan Police Officer Couzens for the murder of Sarah Everard, and the surrounding horrific activities of his network of fellow officers, we are encouraging sex workers to come forward if they have experienced any harm at the hands of Couzens or other serving members of the police.
NUM processes reports of harm to sex workers and aids survivors in healing and seeking justice. Our casework team are here to provide support to any sex worker who experiences violence (of all forms), crime, harm or distress within their work, regardless of their gender, background or type(s) of work they engage in. Central to our support is that you have control of the information you provide to us and how that information is used. We will never pass information to the police without your consent to do so. You can find out more information about our approach to working with the police here.
We understand the reasons why sex workers feel hesitant to contact police when they experience harm as part of their work, and that these reasons include the police being active perpetrators of this harm. For more information on this, see Why Report?
We particularly encourage sex workers of colour and those from other marginalised backgrounds or protected characteristics to report experiences of harm against them from within the police and criminal justice system.
The NUM case work team has experience supporting folks in filing complaints through the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and through Professional Standards. If you would like more information on what we can provide, or if you would like to report an incident to NUM, please email our casework team at casework@nationaluglymugs.org
We are happy to announce that NUM has received generous investment from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust to further enhance our reporting mechanism and develop clearer pathways for reporting harm perpetrated by those in the public trust.
We look forward to working with sex workers of colour and others in improving our reporting mechanism, evaluating and establishing safe access to complaints processes, and leading evidence-informed advocacy in this area.
Look out for announcements related to Rights, Recognition and Redress: Amplifying the Voices BPOC (Survival) Sex Workers about Racism, Safety and Police Protection
