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National Ugly Mugs Scheme
NUM Scheme
In the Booth with Ruth – Alex Bryce, Manager, National Ugly Mugs
Many sex workers that we speak to are initially cautious about reporting, but often when we reassure them that we have a specific contact in a force who will take them seriously they are far more likely to want to engage. So, often the boundaries and the initial reluctance can be broken down by proactive work by police and effective partnerships.
The sex work community is a very diverse one and some barriers may not be relevant to all sectors.
- For example, many street sex workers have fairly chaotic lifestyles and substance dependence and therefore the process of going to the station for a few hours to make a statement is not always a realistic option or a priority for them.
- In addition, immigration status, for example, can be a barrier to migrant sex workers.
The role of the police as both the protector of sex workers (particularly when they are the victims of crime) as well as the enforcers of legislation around prostitution can be problematic.
There is also a need to challenge the view that crimes against sex workers are an occupational hazard.
NUM launched reports of inappropriate police responses to sex workers, and they are becoming less frequent.
There is an established body of evidence that sex workers are often targeted by dangerous perpetrators but are far less likely to report these incidents to the police.
Local ugly mugs scheme have existed throughout the world for around 30 years now but this is the first time that there has been a national scheme with formal police links, so NUM is pioneering.
The Home Office funded the UKNSWP to run a development project, which involved a broad consultation. This was run by Shelly Stoops and Rosie Campbell (two of the main pioneers of the Merseyside [Liverpool] model). A nine-month NUM pilot which ended March 2013. Now seeking funds to continue.
How the scheme works?!
NUM is so simple but so effective. Individual sex workers, organisations offering frontline support (including NHS clinics), escort advertising sites and even establishments can all join the scheme and report incidents.
When incidents are reported to us, we produce an alert that is sent by e-mail or SMS to all members of the scheme to warn sex workers about potentially dangerous individuals.
This is to prevent crimes and from our evaluation, it is clear that some sex workers are working more safely and avoiding particular individuals as a direct result of our alerts. As well as preventing crimes, we also want to make sex workers safer by bringing these perpetrators to justice.
So, the other main aspect of the scheme, if we have consent from the victim, is sharing the intelligence anonymously with police crime analysts. We can also provide support for victims in making formal reports to the police.
One of the crucial aspects of the NUM Scheme is that it provides a service to all sex workers irrespective of their gender identity, sexual orientation or the sector they work in and this reflects the diversity of the industry.
One example of this is that we had some feedback from private or independent escorts at the start of the scheme that providing incomplete phone numbers in our alerts wasn’t helpful to them. As a result of this we consulted with legal advisers and developed a
number checker which, from what we are told, has proved to be very useful for sex workers advertising online who are often contacted initially by phone.
NUM led to the arrest and imprisonment of 8 serial offenders. NUM was crucial in the arrest and conviction of 4 violent robbers who targeted at least 13 premises and small businesses. They got 4 years in prison. 2 rapists in Merseyside have been arrested, charged and sentenced thanks to partnership work between NUM. In 1 case, NUM reports were used as similar fact evidence. 1 rapist in Manchester has also been arrested. NUM has also led to the apprehension of 1 well-known violent fraudster who targeted male escorts and hotels and has been imprisoned to serve the remainder of a previous sentence for similar crimes.
NUM has raised awareness about crimes against sex workers, promoted sex worker rights and changes some of the attitudes and approaches amongst police forces. 9 sex worker awareness and NUM training sessions for police officers throughout the country.
The scheme is managed by the UKNSWP.
Some funding from police forces, selling our merchandise and trying to encourage people to donate.
1,100 individual sex workers are signed up.
[ 36.000-80.000 Sexworker geschätzt in UK;
also haben sich 1%-3% angemeldet. ]
Merseyside model Liverpool is treating crimes against people in the sex trade as hate crimes.
An
ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) is working directly with sex workers.
Of the 345 incidents reported to NUM nationally only around 28% of the victims are willing to formally engage with the police. The project in Merseyside reports a significantly higher proportion engaging with the police.
http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/2013/07/06/alex ... interview/
http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/2013/05/29/rosi ... interview/
UK NSWP
Ugly Mugs
www.uknswp.org/um
www.twitter.com/NationalUglyMug
