Institute of Our Lady of Mercy (UK) Summary Update
June 23, 2014
Institute of Our Lady of Mercy (UK) Summary Update for MGA Working Group on Trafficking and Prostitution
This activity/involvement is mostly undertaken in or through women@thewell (w@w), which whilst being an independent charity, was initially seed funded by IOLM and continues to get considerable support from them, both as direct financial funding and through the rent free use and upkeep the building. Additionally, IOLM are involved at all levels in the mission i.e. governance/trusteeship, staffing (I am CEO), volunteers and commitment to providing an onsite resident community.
Some of the pertinent things we are currently involved in include:
-Direct service delivery through the provision of a daily direct access drop-in centre based at Kings Cross.w@w functions within a set of core values that reflect both how it operates as an organisation and what it stands for, striving in all it does to demonstrate the power of faith in action and to facilitate a collective response to community needs.
w@w works to be part of a sustainable, diverse, inclusive and compassionate community that is committed to improving women’s lives and allowing women to express themselves fully. The organisation is inspired by gospel values and aims to treat everyone with dignity, empathy and respect in a supportive and non-judgemental environment that values each person.
The ‘well’ has traditionally been a gathering place for women and has both spiritual and transformational significance which has inspired the name. The organisation aims to provide a setting with a ‘family-type’ feeling delivered by a team of people who care deeply about their work and want to help women realise their full potential. It works with vulnerable women who have been involved in any facet of ‘pavement culture’ particularly those who are involved in street based prostitution, on a needs led basis. This includes women who are homeless, women with drug and alcohol issues, victims of domestic violence, women who have experienced trafficking and women with a variety of physical and mental ill health, including learning disabilities. w@w proactively targets these women with the following services:
• Providing basic needs
• Providing one to one support and advocacy
• Skills and training
• Supporting health and wellbeing
-Partnership funding with organisations from Estonia, Latvia and UK– a 3 year project “Safety Compass” involving research, lobbying, campaigning, conferences and study visits related to models of exit and support for female victims of sex trafficking and prostitution, recruitment methods and the cross border cooperation. We have completed 2 phases of research, ran a very successful 2 day conference last year and have are currently planning a 3 day conference and study visit to London for government officials, police and service delivers in September this year. We are also coordinating a two phased campaign and lobbying strategy around the Modern Slavery Bill.
-Developing services to provide supported employment and training to women who are exiting prostitution and/or are victims of sex trafficking. As part of this we have developed partnerships with Via Design and Freeset, who work primarily in India to provide support services and employment to women who have experienced prostitution or been trafficked into prostitution.
- Partnership with the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Trafficking Unit – for whom we provide emergency victim centres when they raid premises to arrest traffickers. Alas they currently in a state of flux having just merged with the Kidnap Unit. I am attending the launch meeting week for new command structure and have one to one meeting with new operational command inspector the flowing week. They are involved in the delivery of the conferences/study visits as part the Safety Compass project in UK and have accompanied us to Latvia and Estonia.
- The End Sexual Violence in Conflict International Summit next week at the Excel in London
- Preparation around Beijing +20 and Post 2015 Agenda as part of the coordination group for the UK NGO CSW Alliance - developing policy papers, looking at a preparing a 4 Nations overview given the different legislative arenas etc. in the devolved nations albeit Westminster holds the UN/EU accountability. Panning intervention strategies with sister organisations and the OWG’s for the ECE Regional forum in Geneva, CSW 59, 2015 Summit
- European Women’s Lobby Campaign for a Europe Free from Prostitution.
- Founding member of an abolitionist movement in the United Kingdom which is currently being developed into a new Charity.
- Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales/Conference of Religious/National Board of Catholic Women – exploring partnership working and giving training and presentations to conferences and groups.
- Trusteeship of Caritas Social Action Network and working groups of Caritas Europa
Lynda Dearlove rsm
June 2014
