In this powerful and informative podcast, Siobhan from Nordic Model Now! talks with Linda Thompson about her work with women who have lived experience of prostitution in Scotland and why Scotland must urgently address the desperate poverty and inequality that is the backdrop to women’s involvement in the sex trade and introduce the Nordic Model without delay.
Linda is the national coordinator of Scotland’s Encompass network and currently works for the Women’s Support Project in Glasgow.
Duration: 78.48 minutes | File size: 63.7 MB | Play in new window (with option to download file)
We provide links below to the projects and services that Linda mentions in the talk.
Prefer to read?
An edited transcript of this podcast is now available: Unmasking the sex industry in Scotland.
More about Linda Thompson
Originally from Northern Ireland where she worked in the community and statutory sectors, Linda was a health promotion and personal development peer educator working across Belfast before coordinating transnational projects using innovative approaches to relationships, sex and health education with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. She then managed multidisciplinary teams in award winning sexual health and relationship projects and also sat on the Management Boards of sexual health, youth employment and support projects.
In Scotland Linda has been involved in HIV health promotion programmes with gay and bisexual men, developing new approaches to education, campaigning and support work.
In her current post with the Women’s Support Project, she focuses on sexual exploitation and gender inequality through public education, capacity building and strategic work with a real focus on highlighting lived experiences and impact. She sits on many Scottish national working groups including child sexual exploitation, commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Linda has two fantastic girls who keep her busy, amused and exhausted and in her spare time she volunteers with groups supporting parents and children.
The Inside/Outside project
In the podcast, Linda talks about the Inside/Outside project that gave women a chance to talk about their experiences of the sex trade and to participate in an art project.
Women who would like to add their voices to the new Inside/Outside project documenting women’s journeys exiting prostitution, please email: encompass@womenssupportproject.org.uk.
Links to the other projects & services mentioned in the podcast
- Encompass Network
- CLiCK magazine
- CLiCK podcasts
- CLiCK Your voice (opportunities for women to be involved and have their voices heard)
Many thanks to Risto Juola for helping to prepare this podcast.