Emergency funding available to women engaged in prostitution: FOI release

Information requested

1. What emergency funding was available to women engaged in prostitution during lock down?

2. What funding (if any) is still available to women engaged in prostitution?

3. How many women have been in receipt of this financial support to date (as of 19 September 2024) and what is the monetary value of this support?

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions apply- this relates to our response to the third part of your request and is because this is information we do not hold, this is outlined below, under ‘Question 3.’

Question 1: What emergency funding was available to women engaged in prostitution during lock down?

With regards to Q1, specific funds to support women involved in prostitution during Covid were announced – details can be found below.

Support for women involved in prostitution - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Help for women involved in prostitution - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Support for women involved in prostitution - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

In February 2021, additional funding (£30,000) was provided to the Women’s Support Project/ The Encompass Network.

These were the projects that had a focus on supporting women with experience of prostitution during Covid- women may also have chosen to access wider support that was available for individuals during Covid.

Question 2: What funding (if any) is still available to women engaged in prostitution?

In February 2024 the Scottish Government published the Strategic Approach to ‘Challenging and deterring men’s demand for prostitution and supporting the recovery and sustainable exit of those involved in prostitution.’ The Strategy sets out the Scottish Government’s collective approach, working with stakeholders across the wider public and third sector, to challenge and deter men’s demand for prostitution and support those with experience of it.

The Scottish Government supports a range of projects supporting women with experience of commercial sexual exploitation, this includes providing £700,000 through our Delivering Equally Safe fund, to organisations working to address commercial sexual exploitation and support those affected. Further information can be found within the policy annex to our strategy, which can be accessed here: Annex: Overview of policies (www.gov.scot). Please see page 14. This includes reference to Victim Support Scotland’s Emergency Assistance fund, which whilst has had a specific element included within the fund with a focus on CSE (£30,000), the wider fund can be accessed by women with experience of CSE as well. Our Safer.Scot webpage also includes information on support for women with experience of CSE.

Question 3: How many women have been in receipt of this financial support to date (as of 19 September 2024) and what is the monetary value of this support?
Whilst there are projects that have a specific focus on providing support to women with experience of prostitution there are other sources of support individuals may choose to access and therefore we do not hold a figure that would show the amount of women involved in prostitution in receipt of financial support because of the range of support that an individual may choose to access.

Information not held Section 17(1) of FOISA (information not held) requires the Scottish Government to notify you if it does not have the information you have requested. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Annex A - Reasons for not providing information
The Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have asked for because the following exemptions apply: Section 17(1) of FOISA (information not held)

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.