Role/remit

Drugs Action is the main independent drugs service operating in Aberdeen and provides a range of services to drug users, ex-users and family members.  Quay services is a specialist service provided by Drugs Action which aims to reduce the harms associated with prostitution to the individual and the wider community and to support positive changes in high-risk behaviour and lifestyle.

Services for:

Women involved in prostitution in Aberdeen city and shire.

Prevention work

Quay services prevents violence towards women in several ways.  Firstly, the service provides a key worker/counselling service to support women in making changes in their lives including supporting women to leave prostitution.  This includes a high degree of multi-agency working to ensure the range of issues women have are appropriately addressed. Secondly, for women who are not yet able to exit prostitution, the service provides advice on how to stay as safe as possible whilst being involved in prostitution.  This includes providing panic alarms, advice on self defence, advice on safer sex working and access to the ‘Dodgy Punters’ scheme. The service also encourages improved relationships between sex working women and Grampian Police in order for women to increase the number of reports of incidents of violence passed directly to Grampian Police.

Other prevention work in area

• Rape and Abuse Support provides counselling to women experiencing violence.
• Alcohol Support, A & E service provides a sign posting service to women presenting at A&E who are victims of domestic abuse.
• Grampian Women’s Aid provides refuge accommodation across Grampian.
• A multi agency seminar on commercial sexual exploitation is being held in Aberdeen in June 2009.

Evaluation of prevention work

The numbers of women accessing the service and interventions provided are routinely recorded by the service.  Current numbers of women engaged with the service indicates the service is viewed as a credible, trustworthy and useful service for vulnerable women involved in prostitution.
Service users are also invited to complete comments in an anonymous book.  To date, all comments have been positive with women requesting the service be opened for longer periods of time.

Contact details

Luan Grugeon
7 Hadden Street
Aberdeen
AB11 6NU
Phone 01224 577120
Email luan@drugsaction.co.uk
Website www.drugsaction.co.uk