Helping prostitution
Do you (ever) have sex in exchange for things? Do you work in prostitution voluntarily or because someone asks you to? Whether you work at home, in a club, as an escort or anywhere else.
De Kern is there for all sex workers; you can ask us questions, talk to us, we can give you advice or just listen to you.
How can we help?
You can talk to us or ask for advice. For example, about
- Income or debt;
- Housing;
- Support with addiction problems;
- Help with reporting sexual exploitation, threats and abuse;
- Your safety or someone else's safety; Mental health, such as processing (grief) or feelings of depression
- Mental health, such as (grief) processing or feelings of depression;
- physical health;
- rights and responsibilities in their community;
- courses, such as Dutch;
- assertiveness and self-advocacy;
- other work;
- the education of their children;
- expanding their circle of friends and acquaintances;
- counselling in case of (unwanted) pregnancy;
- Information and advice on rights, laws and regulations, residence problems and residence permits;
- Help with referrals.
Getting out?
It can be difficult to get out of prostitution. You have to get used to having less income, looking for work, having other people around you and perhaps living in a different place. It becomes even harder if others force you to stay in sex work. Or if they don't like you to leave. We are happy to think with you.
What can we do if you want to leave?
Together we will look at what needs to be arranged for you to leave. We will get to work together and help you organise everything you need. We can also help you find training or another job. In this way, you can continue to build your future.
We will also check with you what you need in terms of housing and income. We can also help you to create or expand a (new) social network or to organise additional care. Together we will draw up an overview and a step-by-step plan and, if necessary, help you every step of the way.
Practical information
Local authorities pay us for the support we offer, so our help is free of charge for you.
When you start, you will have your own permanent contact person. This will be a social worker with experience in counselling sex workers.
We will be with you for as long as you need.
We have professional secrecy and can therefore do our work confidentially.
If necessary, an interpreter will be brought in.
Collaboration:
To help you as much as possible, we collaborate with other organisations. We need each other. Together with you and the staff of, for example, a district team or another organisation involved, we make agreements about who does what and who keeps in contact with you. This way you know where you stand and can move forward as quickly as possible.