By the end of March we were finally ready to communicate the results of our student sex work study! Therefore we published a report which can be accessed here (link to: http://www.thestudentsexworkproject.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TSSWP-Research-Summary-English.pdf and for the Welsh version: http://www.thestudentsexworkproject.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TSSWP-Research-Summary-Welsh.pdf) and we organized a final conference at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea. It has been an amazing three-year journey and we are extremely pleased with the positive responses we have received so far.
The project also received great attention from the media, for example BBC Wales (link to http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-32068673), Wales Online (http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/students-turn-prostitution-sex-work-8925159), and The Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/mar/27/university-students-sex-work-living-costs-tuition-fee-debts).
As part of our creative dissemination strategy, The Student Sex Work Project collaborated with BAFTA award winning documentary filmmaker Prof. Chris Morris from Newport Film School. This resulted in ‘Fog of Sex’, a 60 minute documentary-drama which recreates the stories and experiences of nine female sex workers who balance a life in Higher Education with a life as a sex worker. To preserve anonymity the student sex workers are played by actors, all the dialogue however drawn directly from interview transcripts. The full version will become available …?
Our final conference was entirely sold out with over 100 attendees, reaching people from diverse backgrounds, including e.g. police officers, staff from Higher education institutions in Wales, employees from charity and third sector organizations, health service providers, student union representatives, and students. We are hopeful that the conference succeeded in raising understanding on the issue of student sex work. Our evaluation of the event showed that over 95% of the attendees thought the conference was ‘very valuable’ to ‘rather valuable’ to them. The answers to the question what was the most valuable that was learned included for example ‘How isolated sex workers can really feel in a stressful part of their lives; how much support is needed!’ and ‘The information was a surprise to me, made me very aware of the issues surrounding student sex work.’
The results of our study have shed light on the previously understudied issue of student sex work and in addition the project provided valuable support to student sex workers by giving them access to a safe forum, providing one-on-one support through an anonymous chat service and by providing online counselling sessions with a professionally trained therapist. With our finding that around 5% of the Higher Education students in the UK have had some experience with taking up an activity in the sex industry, student sex work is not an issue that can be ignored any longer. Students’ motivations to take up work in the sex industry as well as their experiences thereof were very varied and it is important that misunderstandings and stereotypes with regards to student sex work are challenged.
Our study also included an investigation of Higher Education Institutional responses towards student sex work, as well as the experiences of Higher Education staff and student union officers with regards to the issue. This wide approach allowed us to make concrete recommendations for improving student sex workers’ wellbeing and for ensuring that Higher Education Institutions can become an inclusive and safe place for all students.
Clearly our work does not end here. We will be working on a wide dissemination of the research results and we will offer a training package for Higher Education employees.
THE FOG OF SEX, SHOWINGS, TIMES ECT
Friday 8th May-lecture theatre E10-Caerleon Campus-Screening plus Q&A 6.00pm
Monday 11th May-lecture theatre CAB205-Atrium Cardiff-Screening plus Q&A 6,30pm
Thursday 14th May- lecture theatre A09_City Campus Newport-Screening plus Q&A6.00pm
Sunday 24th May- Booth cinema – Hay-on-Wye – Screening plus Q+A 2.30 pm
Monday 1st June – Taliesin Arts Centre-Swansea-Showing plus Q+A 5.30pm
www.thestudentsexworkerproject.co.uk
Free Screening of ‘Fog of Sex’.
The film presents the findings from The Student Sex Work Project.
Terrence Higgins Trust /Sexual Health News
HIV self-test kits
The first HIV self-test kit has received approval to go on sale in the UK. THT have released the following statement:
“We campaigned for a long time to secure the legalisation of HIV self-test kits which happened in April 2014, so it is great to see the first self-test kits being approved. We know that if people are diagnosed with HIV and start treatment early then they can avoid serious complications and lead long and healthy lives. Unfortunately 24% of people living with HIV in the UK remain undiagnosed so we have to do much more to encourage people to test”.
Self-testing kits are currently provided outside the NHS and will cost money. The main difference between this and other testing options is that it gives the convenience of doing an HIV test at home, with the result delivered outside a clinical setting, which we know some people prefer. However, it is important to make sure people can get quick access to support when they get their result.
The THT website http://www.tht.org.uk can provide further information about all of the testing options and how to access treatment and care, and for people with a new diagnosis, we would encourage them to sign up to the online service myHIV, where they can benefit from peer support and advice.
Terrence Higgins Trust offers HIV FASTEST service, contact your local centre or search on http://www.tht.org.uk for a testing centre near you.
Cylchlythyr Ebrill 2015
Erbyn diwedd mis Mawrth, roedden ni’n barod o’r diwedd i gyfathrebu canlyniadau ein hastudiaeth myfyrwyr yn y diwydiant rhyw! Felly, aethom ati i gyhoeddi adroddiad a chewch ei weld yma (cyswllt i: http://www.thestudentsexworkproject.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TSSWP-Research-Summary-Welsh.pdf and a’r fersiwn Saesneg: http://www.thestudentsexworkproject.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TSSWP-Research-Summary-English.pdf) a threfnwyd cynhadledd derfynol yn Stadiwm Liberty yn Abertawe. Mae’r tair blynedd ddiwethaf wedi bod yn daith anhygoel ac rydyn ni’n hynod falch â’r ymateb cadarnhaol rydyn ni wedi ei dderbyn hyd yma. Gwyliwch yma (dolen i: …) cyfres fer o gyfweliadau â’r rheiny sydd wedi chwarae rôl allweddol yn llwyddiant y prosiect.
Hefyd derbyniodd y prosiect gryn sylw gan y cyfryngau, er enghraifft BBC Cymru/Wales (dolen i http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-32068673), Wales Online (http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/students-turn-prostitution-sex-work-8925159), a’r Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/mar/27/university-students-sex-work-living-costs-tuition-fee-debts).
Fel rhan o’n strategaeth greadigol, bu’r Prosiect Myfyrwyr yn y Diwydiant Rhyw yn cydweithredu â’r cyfarwyddwr ffilmiau dogfen yr Athro Chris Morris o Ysgol Ffilm Casnewydd. Arweiniodd hyn at ‘Fog of Sex’, sef drama-ddogfen, sy’n ail-greu straeon naw o fenywod sy’n gwneud gwaith rhyw; maent yn gorfod cydbwyso bywyd mewn Addysg Uwch â bywyd fel gweithwyr rhyw. Er mwyn amddiffyn statws dienw’r cyfranwyr, caiff rhannau’r gweithwyr rhyw eu chwarae gan actorion; serch hynny, daw’r deialog i gyd yn uniongyrchol o gyfweliadau â’r menywod hyn. Gallwch weld rhagflas fan yma. Bydd y fersiwn llawn ar gael … ?
Roedd ein cynhadledd olaf yn llwyddiant ysgubol, gyda thros 100 o bobl yn bresennol o amrywiaeth o gefndiroedd. Roedd y rhain yn cynnwys yr heddlu, staff o sefydliadau addysg uwch yng Nghymru, staff mudiadau elusennol a’r drydedd sector, darparwyr gwasanaethau iechyd, cynrychiolwyr undebau myfyrwyr, a myfyrwyr. Rydym y gobeithio bod y gynhadledd wedi llwyddo codi ymwybyddiaeth a dealltwriaeth o fyfyrwyr sy’n gwneud gwaith rhyw. Dangosodd ein gwerthusiad o’r digwyddiad fod mwy na 95% o’r rheiny oedd yn bresennol o’r farn fod y gynhadledd naill ai’n ‘werthfawr iawn’ neu’n ‘eithaf gwerthfawr’ iddynt. Roedd yr atebion i’r cwestiwn: beth oedd y peth mwyaf gwerthfawr a ddysgoch chi, yn cynnwys er enghraifft ‘Pa mor ynysig y gall gweithwyr rhyw deimlo ar adeg anodd o’u bywydau; mae angen cymaint o gefnogaeth arnynt!’ a ‘Roedd yr wybodaeth o syndod i mi, fe’m gwnaeth yn ymwybodol iawn o’r materion hynny sy’n ymwneud â myfyrwyr sy’n gwneud gwaith rhyw.’
Mae canlyniadau ein hastudiaeth wedi rhoi goleuni ar faes nad oedd wedi cael ei astudio lawer yn y gorffennol, sef myfyrwyr sy’n gwneud gwaith rhyw. Darparodd y prosiect hefyd gefnogaeth werthfawr i weithwyr rhyw drwy roi mynediad iddynt i fforwm diogel, darparu cefnogaeth un-i-un drwy wasanaeth sgwrsio anhysbys a darparu sesiynau cwnsela gyda therapydd wedi ei hyfforddi’n broffesiynol. Yn sgil ein canfyddiadau fod tua 5% o fyfyrwyr Addysg Uwch yn y DU wedi cael rhyw brofiad o ymgymryd â gweithgaredd yn y diwydiant rhyw, nid yw myfyrwyr sy’n gwneud gwaith rhyw bellach yn faes y gellir ei anwybyddu. Gwelwyd fod cymhelliannau myfyrwyr i ymgymryd â gwaith yn y diwydiant rhyw, yn ogystal â’u profiadau o’r gwaith yma, yn amrywiol iawn. Mae felly’n bwysig fod camddealltwriaeth a stereoteipiau parthed myfyrwyr sy’n gwneud gwaith rhyw yn cael eu herio.
Roedd ein hastudiaeth hefyd yn cynnwys archwiliad o ymagweddiad Sefydliadau Addysg Uwch tuag at fyfyrwyr sy’n gwneud gwaith rhyw, yn ogystal â phrofiadau staff a swyddogion undebau myfyrwyr Addysg Uwch parthed y mater hwn. Roedd yr ymagweddiad eang hwn yn caniatáu i ni wneud argymhellion cadarn ar gyfer gwella llesiant myfyrwyr sy’n gwneud gwaith rhyw, ynghyd â sicrhau y gall sefydliadau Addysg Uwch fod yn fannau cynhwysol a diogel i fyfyrwyr oll.
Mae’n amlwg nad yw ein gwaith yn gorffen fan yma. Byddwn yn gweithio ar ledaenu canlyniadau’r ymchwil a byddwn yn cynnig pecyn hyfforddiant ar gyfer gweithwyr yn y sector Addysg Uwch.
THE FOG OF SEX – Dangos y ffilm, Amseroedd a.y.b.
Dangos ‘Fog of Sex’ am ddim
Mae’r ffilm hon yn cyflwyno canfyddiadau’r Prosiect Myfyrwyr yn y Diwydiant Rhyw.
Newyddion Ymddiriedolaeth Terrence Higgins / Iechyd Rhywiol
Offer hunan-brawf HIV
Mae’r offer hunan-brawf HIV cyntaf wedi derbyn cymeradwyaeth i fynd ar werth yn y DU. Mae YTH wedi rhyddhau’r datganiad canlynol:
“Rydym wedi ymgyrchu ers blynyddoedd i sicrhau cyfreithloni offer hunan-brawf HIV a ddigwyddodd yn Ebrill 2014, felly mae’n wych gweld yr offer hunan-brawf cyntaf yn cael ei gymeradwyo. Rydym yn gwybod os caiff pobl ddiagnosis am HIV a’u bod yn dechrau triniaeth yn gynnar, yna gallant osgoi cymhlethdodau difrifol a byw bywyd hir ac iach. Yn anffodus, mae 24% o’r bobl sy’n byw â HIV yn y DU yn dal i fod heb ddeiagnosis, felly rhaid i ni wneud llawer mwy i annog pobl gymryd y prawf”.
Ar hyn o bryd, caiff offer hunan-brawf ei ddarparu tu allan i’r GIG ac mae’n costio arian. Y prif wahaniaeth rhwng hwn a dewisiadau profion eraill yw ei fod yn cynnig y cyfleuster o gynnal prawf HIV gartref, sy’n golygu y cewch y canlyniad tu allan i sefyllfa glinigol; rydym yn gwybod y byddai’n well gan lawer o bobl wneud hyn. Serch hynny, mae’n bwysig sicrhau y gall pobl gael mynediad cyflym i gefnogaeth pan fyddant yn cael eu canlyniad.
Gall gwefan YTH http://www.tht.org.uk ddarparu gwybodaeth bellach ynglŷn â phob dewis o ran profion sydd ar gael, a sut i gael mynediad i driniaeth a gofal. I bobl sydd newydd gael diagnosis, buasem yn eu hannog i ymuno â’r gwasanaeth ar-lein myHIV, lle gallant fanteisio ar gefnogaeth a chyngor gan gyfoedion.
Mae Ymddiriedolaeth Terrence Higgins yn cynnig gwasanaeth HIV FASTEST; cysylltwch â’ch canolfan leol neu chwiliwch ar http://www.tht.org.uk am ganolfan brawf sy’n gyfleus i chi.
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