Outcomes of our work

Over the history of Touching Base, we have been constantly guided into action by our objects, principles and aims. Our activities include:

  • Responding to enquiries for information and assistance in accessing sex workers from people with disability and their carers
  • Operating a referral database of accessible commercial sex services premises and independent sex workers who are willing or have experience or training, to provide non-discriminatory services to people with disability
  • Providing training programs for people with disability, their service providers and carers, such as our Service Provider Awareness Training (SPAT)
  • Providing training programs for sex workers and other sex industry staff, such as our Professional Disability Awareness Training (PDAT)
  • Maintaining this website as a unique resource of relevant and specific information [originally designed by students from Shopfront at the University of Technology, Sydney]
  • Developing resources to encourage better practice when accessing sex services. Our new Policy and Procedural Guide – for disability service providers supporting clients to access sex services was launched in 2011. Development of this resource involved collaboration and in-kind support from the University of New South Wales, People with Disability Australia Inc, Family Planning NSW and the Cerebral Palsy Alliance (formerly The Spastic Centre) amongst others; along with significant contributions from individual sex workers and people with disability.
  • Commissioning of discussion papers on legal issues and liaising with the Disability Discrimination Legal Centre
  • Raising the public and professional awareness of the issues surrounding the access and provision of Sex Industry services for people with a disability by:
    • contributing to culture change in various disability organisations through delivering presentations to conferences and other forums,
    • liaising on laws and town planning regulations that act as barriers to people with disability accessing sex services,
    • engaging with media,
    • marching together behind the Touching Base Banner in the world famous Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and
    • networking online with allied stakeholders in Australia, NZ, Canada, UK and USA.

Touching Base endorses The Uluru Statement from the Heart and acknowledges First Nations as the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia, their diversity, histories and knowledge, and their continuing connections to land and community. As Australians all, we respect our nation’s First Peoples, their cultures, and Elders of past, present and future generations.