At Basis Yorkshire we work with women (including trans) sex workers (working across the sex industry) and/or women experiencing sexual abuse and exploitation, to end stigma, create safety and promote empowerment.

We have a small specialist team that advocate for and support women to ensure they can have access to services (related to health, housing, criminal justice, etc.) as well as offering emotional and practical support. We offer 1 to 1 support or work with groups of women, visit women at home, host a drop in and a street outreach service in Leeds. We do this in close partnership with many other organisations in Leeds; we also ensure women are able to share their experience to influence our and other services in Leeds and nationally. The women we support are often fearful or mistrust other services given the stigma or judgment they have experienced in other services, sometimes over a lifetime. Many have had traumatic experiences. They are often socially isolated, misunderstood or embarrassed to ask for help. Some are homeless, some have children and most are among the strongest, resilient women you could meet.

We've launched this appeal to ask for your support for practical items that can be a real lifeline for women, particularly in winter: items such as bus fares to help people get to medical appointments or other support services, small items of clothing and toiletries for comfort and hygiene, wellbeing orientated activity packs, food parcels or small top ups of utility bills and small phones to help keep our service users safer.

If you'd prefer to donate in kind, please see our Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/1QZTUYJVFBFOP

For more information about what we do please go to https://basisyorkshire.org.uk/

Thank you for all your support,

Basis Yorkshire