SELF-C ARE IN PRACTICE
Helping street sex workers make healthy life choices Josie Hill Fundraising and Publicity Co-ordinator, One25
Having worked for a range of health-focused charities, I’ve come to recognise that offering an integrated, holistic approach of conventional medicine with complementary therapies is the best way of transforming lives. I strongly believe that we need a new model of health in the UK, one that offers everyone greater choice and empowerment over their health needs. In developing One25’s new therapeutic programme, I anticipate that we will reduce the burden of these vulnerable women’s chronic ill-health and help them reach their full potential.
Introduction Summary One25 is the England winner of the 2008 Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health awards. It has a unique impact as the only organisation in Bristol that focuses on the specific needs of women trapped in street sex work. One25’s extraordinary service brings food, therapies and medical services to women, and as a result many have left sex work behind, reclaimed their children from care and now lead normal lives. One25 gives these vulnerable women the support they need to escape and build towards a healthier future.
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One25 is a Bristol-based charity that benefits women who are trapped in a chaotic lifestyle of street sex-work, homelessness and addiction. The charity provides four key services: night outreach, a daytime drop-in centre, casework support and a unique 24 hour mother and baby home called Naomi House. Where services are inaccessible or inappropriate, One25 raises awareness of the needs of this group in order to bring about change in provision. One25’s mission is to enable these vulnerable women to: • break free from this abusive lifestyle and achieve their full potential • make healthy life choices and foster positive relationships with their families and communities. One25 aspires to the WHO definition of health: ‘Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity.’1 From its inception in 1995, One25 has been committed to providing long-term, holistic support for each beneficiary at whatever stage she is at and One25 continues to develop its services
accordingly. It has built up a good reputation, has support from the Bristol community and trusting relationships with the client group. The charity’s founder, Val Jeal, was awarded an MBE for her work with One25 and in May 2009, the charity won the England Award from the Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health.
The women supported by One25 Typically, One25 sees around 200 different women every year, all of whom are socially excluded and trapped in a lifestyle of street sexwork, multiple chronic health needs, and addiction to heroin, crack cocaine and/or alcohol. Added to this: • 65% have reported that they suffered appalling childhood abuse, including cases of rape as young as three years old • 32% left school aged 14 or younger • 66% are homeless • 92% have been the victims of violent crimes including domestic violence, kidnap, GBH, attacks using weapons and gang rape. Only 1% of these incidents have resulted in a conviction
© Journal of holistic healthcare
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Volume 6 Issue 2 Aug 2009
