About Us

Touching Base Inc is a charitable organisation, based in Sydney NSW Australia, that has been active since October 2000. Touching Base developed out of the need to assist people with disability and sex workers to connect with each other, focusing on access, discrimination, human rights and legal issues and the attitudinal barriers that these two marginalised communities can face.

Information for people with disability or their carers on how to access the sex industry and the Touching Base Referral List is contained in the Clients section of this website. There are also links to order our unique resources for people with disability

Information for sex workers including training workshops, resources and information about disability is contained in the Sex Workers section of this website.

We also offer training workshops tailored to disability service providers.

This website contains some material of a sexual nature suitable for adults only.

Currently Touching Base does not receive any government funding so all donations are most gratefully received.

Our Principles

In 1979, the decriminalisation of sex work in New South Wales (NSW) Australia recognised sex work as a lawful occupation. The Sex Industry has a wealth of practical knowledge in dealing with a wide range of sexual issues and has the right to be respected and consulted as the primary stakeholders in any matters relating to the provision of sexual services in NSW. As the initiators of the Touching Base Project, sex workers in NSW are actively pursuing this right.

People with a disability, including older people with disability, have an intrinsic right to sexual expression. This right enables people to develop relationships, have sex, explore and express their sexuality and achieve intimacy without personal or systemic barriers. Furthermore, necessary personal and systemic supports must be provided for the expression of this right.

Click here to learn more about our history

Our Aims

As part of a commitment to supporting such rights, Touching Base NSW aims to:

Facilitate the links between people with a disability, including older people with disability, their support organisations and the Sex Industry;
Encourage information sharing and educational training programs for sex workers, people with disability, including older people with disability, and their carers; and
Raise the public and professional awareness of the issues surrounding the access and provision of Sex Industry services for people with disability. including older people with disability.

Our Vision

In acknowledging that sexual and physical intimacy are core to the human experience, the Touching Base vision is for a societal culture where people with disability, including older people with disability, can freely choose and easily access the services of sex industry professionals to meet their sexual and physical intimacy needs.

Our Mission

Touching Base supports the intrinsic right of people with disability, including older people with disability, to sexual expression and physical intimacy, and values the professional services that sex workers provide to members of the community, including those living with disability.

Touching Base seeks to diminish the barriers that people with disability, including older people with disability, experience in accessing the sex industry by engaging with:

people with disability and their carers
disability service providers
sex workers and sex worker representative bodies
legislative decision makers

by encouraging and facilitating:

information sharing
educational and training programs
innovative approaches to resolving sector issues

Values

As our approach is person-centred to empower each individual we work with, in our conduct and care we value:

inclusivity – we embrace diverse ability, thought, skills, knowledge, and background
integrity – we are ethical and accountable
transparency – we communicate and act openly
professionalism – we are reliable, consistent and honest
collaboration – we are stronger together

Our Patrons

Touching Base is honoured to have five eminent Australians as patrons.

They are two of Australia’s most well-known human rights campaigners,
The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG and Eva Cox AO,
esteemed academic researchers Professor Basil Donovan AO and
Associate Professor Helen Meekosha, and Peter Woods OAM,
an elder statesman in the area of Local Government within NSW, Australia
and internationally.

Follow this link for more information and quotes from our Patrons.

Our Committee of Management

The Touching Base Inc Committee of Management is made up of individuals (people with disability and sex workers) as well as representatives from organisations. The following organisations regularly attend our Committee meetings or contribute in-kind assistance and/or resources to support the ongoing activities of Touching Base: