Older Women and Commercial Sexual Exploitation

When we think of women involved in selling or exchanging sex, we tend to think that women remain ‘forever young.’ The reality is that some women stay involved into their 50s and beyond, while others start their involvement at this age. Yet, the hormonal and physical changes, paired with the social attitudes toward middle-aged and older women make their experiences of selling and exchanging sex very different to younger women. In this webinar, we will explore the unique experiences of older women who are involved in the ‘sex industry.’ We will discuss the pathways to entering the industry, the health and emotional impacts of long-term involvement, and the economic and social barriers that can prevent them from stopping their involvement when they have to or need to.

Agenda

This is an introductory session and is not intended to provide comprehensive training.

It will feature a combination of speaker presentations and opportunities for attendees to engage through questions and reflective exercises. 

The session will cover the following topics:

• Older women’s pathways into the ‘sex industry’
• Attitudes of buyers and the ‘sex industry’ towards older women
• The impact of involvement in selling sex on older women.

Who can attend?

This event is open to frontline workers and support service providers. It will be particularly relevant for those working in the fields of violence against women, sexual health and relationships, substance use, housing, mental health, criminal justice, public health, adult support and protection, and social work.

Please note that this event is funded through Delivering Equally Safe and aligns with the Scottish Government’s approach to addressing commercial sexual exploitation as a form of gender-based violence. The event will address women’s experiences from this perspective.

Accessing the event

This webinar will take place on Teams. If we can do anything to make it easier for you to join, please let us know.

If you cannot access Teams or attend the event, we can share the recording. Please email your request to cseaware@womenssupportproject.org.uk.

Older Women and Commercial Sexual Exploitation