My name is Sam and I'm currently a 2nd year PhD researcher at the University of Nottingham and have been involved with the sex working community to some degree for the last 6 years. 

Before starting my PhD I worked at a sex worker support charity for 4 years, predominantly supporting street-based sex workers. I held specialist support roles as well as a managerial role while there. 

It was at this charity that I began doing research with sex workers. I was the external research partner on a British Academy Innovation Fellowship held by Dr Larissa Sandy (now my supervisor), where we co-designed with sex workers a holistic support and reporting tool for sexual and violent crime. This project was such a success that work is still ongoing!

I am still involved in providing outreach services to the street-based sex workers in Nottingham through the sex worker led organisation SWAN, and I have been involved in organising events for International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers for 3 years now. I also volunteer in the prison resettlement team for Anawim.

I believe that sex work is work and should be decriminalised. I approach my research from this standpoint and I am passionate about platforming the voices of sex workers in spaces they're often not afforded. My hope for this research is for it to influence local and national policy makers in their approach, and demonstrate the necessity for sex workers to be regarded as experts and included in decision making that impacts their lives.

I am adult and child safeguarding trained, have an up to date DBS certificate, and also prison vetting.