Lifting the curtain: Women’s boundaries and consent in the sex industry

Earlier this year, our first CSE Aware webinar in a series focused on consent in the sex industry introduced various considerations surrounding consent, shaped by women, sex buyers, and third parties. It outlined the process of consent—covering the stages before, during, and after—and highlighted potential points of violation.

For our second webinar, we will continue exploring women’s experiences, specifically focusing on the boundary-pushing behaviors that may arise during a sexual encounter. How do women perceive this issue? What difficulties do they face when trying to establish and maintain boundaries? What actions might sex buyers take to override these boundaries? We will address these questions and more.

As we have written, understanding consent and associated risks can help service providers better understand the dynamics of the sex trade and the safety risks involved. From issues such as non-payment and verbal abuse to spiking and non-fatal strangulation, awareness of these harms can help women to make informed decisions and understand their rights.

Agenda

This is an introductory session and is not intended to provide comprehensive training. For more information on consent, please refer to the latest CSE Aware bulletin.

The event will feature a combination of speaker presentations and opportunities for attendees to engage through questions and reflective exercises. The session will cover the following topics:

· The CSE Aware consent framework

· Women's experiences of consent violations during sexual encounters

· Misogyny and consent in online sex buyers' reviews.

Who can attend?

This event is open to frontline workers and support service providers. It will be particularly relevant for those working in the fields of violence against women, sexual health and relationships, substance use, housing, mental health, criminal justice, public health, adult support and protection, and social work.

Please note that this event is funded through Delivering Equally Safe and aligns with the Scottish Government’s approach to addressing commercial sexual exploitation as a form of gender-based violence. The event will address women’s experiences from this perspective.

Accessing the event

This webinar will take place on Zoom. If we can do anything to make it easier for you to join, please let us know.

If you cannot access Zoom or attend the event, we can share the recording. Please email your request to enquiries@womenssupportproject.org.uk.