The Only Non-Profit Organisation
in Singapore that provides

Social, emotional, and health services

to People in the sex industry.

We envision a fair and safe sex industry for everyone involved and
a society that respects sex workers, their clients, partners, and families.

1110

Abuser
Alerts
Recorded

549,079

Condoms
Given
Out

1248

STI
Tests
Conducted
Help Keep The Mission
Running
AS FEATURED ON

The Only Non-Profit Organization in Singapore that provides Social, Emotional & health services to people in the sex industry.

We envision a fair and safe sex industry for everyone involved and a society that respects sex workers, their clients, partners, and families.

1110

Abuser
Alerts
Recorded

549,079

Condoms
Given Out

1248

STI
Tests Conducted
Keep The
Mission
Running

AS FEATURED ON

The Only Non-Profit Organization in Singapore that provides Social, Emotional & health services to people in the sex industry.

We envision a fair and safe sex industry for everyone involved and a society that respects sex workers, their clients, partners, and families.

1110

Abuser
Alerts
Recorded

549,079

Condoms
Given
Out

1248

STI
Tests
Conducted
AS FEATURED ON

We believe that condoning violence against sex workers undermines the principle of rule of law in Singapore.

There exists a sex industry in Singapore, and it is both a socially and politically accepted fact. What has not been mainstreamed is the fact that sex workers do not deserve to face violence and discrimination, that sex workers’ needs are equally important, and those needs need to be institutionalized. 

WHY WE EXIST

We believe that condoning violence against sex workers undermines the principle of rule of law in Singapore.

We won’t recite the cliché. But there exists a sex industry in Singapore, and it is both a socially and politically accepted fact. What has not been mainstreamed is the fact that sex workers do not deserve to face violence and discrimination, that sex workers’ needs are equally important, and those needs need to be institutionalized.

WHY WE EXIST

We believe that condoning violence against sex workers undermines the principle of rule of law in Singapore.

We won’t recite the cliché. But there exists a sex industry in Singapore, and it is both a socially and politically accepted fact. What has not been mainstreamed is the fact that sex workers do not deserve to face violence and discrimination, that sex workers’ needs are equally important, and those needs need to be institutionalized.

What We Do

Since our founding, Project X has grown into an organisation with committed, full-time
staff including current and former sex workers, as well as many passionate allies.

We place fostering of close relationships with the community at the forefront of what we do.

We center the voices of sex workers and key allies.

 

We provide counselling, practical advice, befriender services, and professional development for people in the sex industry.

What
We Do

Since our founding, Project X has grown into an organization with committed, full-time staff including current and former sex workers, as well as many passionate allies.

We place fostering of close relationships with the community at the forefront of what we do.

We center the voices of sex workers and key allies.

We provide counselling, practical advice, befriender services, and professional development for people in the sex industry.

We place fostering of close relationships with the community at the forefront of what we do.
We center the voices of sex workers and key allies.
We provide counselling, practical advice, befriender services, and professional development for people in the sex industry.

Sex work activism
lies in the intersection of work for Gender Equality, Racial Justice, Migrant Worker Rights, Labour Rights, & Harm Reduction.

What We Do

Since our founding, Project X has grown into an organization with committed, full-time staff including current and former sex workers, as well as many passionate allies.
We place fostering of close relationships with the community at the forefront of what we do.
We center the voices of sex workers and key allies.
We provide counselling, practical advice, befriender services, and professional development for people in the sex industry.

Sex work activism lies in the intersection of work for Gender Equality, Racial Justice, Migrant Worker Rights, Labour Rights, & Harm Reduction.

For Sex Workers

Social
Support

Legal
Knowledge

Sexual Health
Screening

For Sex Workers

Social
Support

Legal Knowledge

Sexual Health Screening

Case Management

Need someone to talk to about something that happened at work or due to work? Make an appointment with us now!
Group 1059
STEP 01

Fact Finding

Group 1060
STEP 02

Advice

Group 1061
STEP 03

File The Case

Group 1062
STEP 04

Take Action

Group 1063
STEP 05

Support

Learn More

For Sex Worker

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Social
Support

Legal
Knowledge

Sexual Health
Screening

Case Management

Need someone to talk to about something that happened at work or due to work? Make an appointment with us now!
Group 1059
STEP 01

Fact Finding

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Group 1060
STEP 02

Advice

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Group 1061
STEP 03

File The Case

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Group 1062
STEP 04

Take Action

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Group 1063
STEP 05

Support

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For Sex Workers

We provide services such as Social Support, Legal Knowledge, and Sexual Health Screening for sex workers. Need someone to talk to about something that happened at work or due to work? Below is an overview of how Project X manage case reports. Make an appointment with us and let us help you identify what to do next!

Group 1059
STEP 01

Fact Finding

Group 1060
STEP 02

Advice

Group 1061
STEP 03

File The Case

Group 1062
STEP 04

Take Action

Group 1063
STEP 05

Support

Case
Management

Need someone to talk to about something that happened at work or due to work? Make an appointment with us now!
02
Group 1059
Step 01
Fact Finding
Group 1060
Step 02
Advice
Group 1061
Step 03
File The Case
Group 1062
Step 04
Take Action
Group 1063
Step 05
Support

Most Asked Questions

Carol Leigh wrote in her essay, “It acknowledges the work we do rather than define us by our status.” We use the term to recognize thatsex work is work, and to respect the labour involved in the work. The word “prostitute” has also evolved into a word with negative connotations and is often used as a derogatory term used to hurt or humiliate someone. We also now the the terms “escort”, “adult services provider”, “pro-domme” etc.
It is hard to put a number on this as many are informal and indirect sex workers. According to a study conducted by the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, there are about 4200 female sex workers in Singapore at any one time. Of this number, there are about 800 to 1,000 licensed sex workers in Singapore at any one time. A large majority of them are migrant sex workers. In 2014, the police arrested 4,886 sex workers and in 2016, 2,947. Singaporean sex workers make up a minority here. According to Vanessa Ho, the executive director of Project X, “stigma, discrimination, criminalisation” all work to drive sex workers underground and thus make them “reluctant to accessing healthcare services” due to the fear of being identified by local authorities. As such, while we can roughly estimate the number of informal sex workers, we cannot put a number on the exact population of informal sex workers in Singapore.

Article 3, paragraph (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons defines Trafficking in Persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

On the basis of the definition given in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, trafficking in persons has three constituent elements:

To ascertain whether a particular circumstance constitutes trafficking in persons, consider the definition of trafficking in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and the constituent elements of the offense, as defined by relevant domestic legislation.

Trafficking is a serious crime. In reflection of this, Singapore passed the “Prevention of Human Trafficking Act 2014” in order to tackle all forms of trafficking—labour, sex, and organ trafficking. Project X similarly condemns trafficking and we do all we can to assist victims of trafficking.

However, from our many years working with the sex industry, we have observed that under current legal definitions — which set a very high bar for what is considered trafficking — only a handful of individuals would be classified as trafficked. Only five sex trafficking and one labour trafficking cases four cases have been prosecuted to date. We also caution against the conflation of human trafficking with sex work. Not all sex workers are trafficked, but the belief that they are tends to undermine and disrespect the consent of sex workers. Further, trafficking occurs across a range of industries, including domestic work and construction, not just the sex industry.

People in the sex industry can face a range of exploitative conditions which are seldom fully captured by the “human trafficking” framework. Many women in the sex industry choose this work because it is the best option available for them and do not want or need to be “rescued” or “saved.” We extend our services to all sex workers and believe that all sex workers — whether trafficked or not — deserve support and just treatment.

Most
Asked
Questions

Carol Leigh wrote in her essay, “It acknowledges the work we do rather than define us by our status.” We use the term to recognize thatsex work is work, and to respect the labour involved in the work. The word “prostitute” has also evolved into a word with negative connotations and is often used as a derogatory term used to hurt or humiliate someone. We also now the the terms “escort”, “adult services provider”, “pro-domme” etc.
It is hard to put a number on this as many are informal and indirect sex workers. According to a study conducted by the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, there are about 4200 female sex workers in Singapore at any one time. Of this number, there are about 800 to 1,000 licensed sex workers in Singapore at any one time. A large majority of them are migrant sex workers. In 2014, the police arrested 4,886 sex workers and in 2016, 2,947. Singaporean sex workers make up a minority here. According to Vanessa Ho, the executive director of Project X, “stigma, discrimination, criminalisation” all work to drive sex workers underground and thus make them “reluctant to accessing healthcare services” due to the fear of being identified by local authorities. As such, while we can roughly estimate the number of informal sex workers, we cannot put a number on the exact population of informal sex workers in Singapore.

Article 3, paragraph (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons defines Trafficking in Persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

On the basis of the definition given in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, trafficking in persons has three constituent elements:

To ascertain whether a particular circumstance constitutes trafficking in persons, consider the definition of trafficking in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and the constituent elements of the offense, as defined by relevant domestic legislation.

Trafficking is a serious crime. In reflection of this, Singapore passed the “Prevention of Human Trafficking Act 2014” in order to tackle all forms of trafficking—labour, sex, and organ trafficking. Project X similarly condemns trafficking and we do all we can to assist victims of trafficking.

However, from our many years working with the sex industry, we have observed that under current legal definitions — which set a very high bar for what is considered trafficking — only a handful of individuals would be classified as trafficked. Only five sex trafficking and one labour trafficking cases four cases have been prosecuted to date. We also caution against the conflation of human trafficking with sex work. Not all sex workers are trafficked, but the belief that they are tends to undermine and disrespect the consent of sex workers. Further, trafficking occurs across a range of industries, including domestic work and construction, not just the sex industry.

People in the sex industry can face a range of exploitative conditions which are seldom fully captured by the “human trafficking” framework. Many women in the sex industry choose this work because it is the best option available for them and do not want or need to be “rescued” or “saved.” We extend our services to all sex workers and believe that all sex workers — whether trafficked or not — deserve support and just treatment.

Most Asked Questions

Carol Leigh wrote in her essay, “It acknowledges the work we do rather than define us by our status.” We use the term to recognize thatsex work is work, and to respect the labour involved in the work. The word “prostitute” has also evolved into a word with negative connotations and is often used as a derogatory term used to hurt or humiliate someone. We also now the the terms “escort”, “adult services provider”, “pro-domme” etc.
It is hard to put a number on this as many are informal and indirect sex workers. According to a study conducted by the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, there are about 4200 female sex workers in Singapore at any one time. Of this number, there are about 800 to 1,000 licensed sex workers in Singapore at any one time. A large majority of them are migrant sex workers. In 2014, the police arrested 4,886 sex workers and in 2016, 2,947. Singaporean sex workers make up a minority here. According to Vanessa Ho, the executive director of Project X, “stigma, discrimination, criminalisation” all work to drive sex workers underground and thus make them “reluctant to accessing healthcare services” due to the fear of being identified by local authorities. As such, while we can roughly estimate the number of informal sex workers, we cannot put a number on the exact population of informal sex workers in Singapore.

Article 3, paragraph (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons defines Trafficking in Persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

On the basis of the definition given in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, trafficking in persons has three constituent elements:

To ascertain whether a particular circumstance constitutes trafficking in persons, consider the definition of trafficking in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and the constituent elements of the offense, as defined by relevant domestic legislation.

Trafficking is a serious crime. In reflection of this, Singapore passed the “Prevention of Human Trafficking Act 2014” in order to tackle all forms of trafficking—labour, sex, and organ trafficking. Project X similarly condemns trafficking and we do all we can to assist victims of trafficking.

However, from our many years working with the sex industry, we have observed that under current legal definitions — which set a very high bar for what is considered trafficking — only a handful of individuals would be classified as trafficked. Only five sex trafficking and one labour trafficking cases four cases have been prosecuted to date. We also caution against the conflation of human trafficking with sex work. Not all sex workers are trafficked, but the belief that they are tends to undermine and disrespect the consent of sex workers. Further, trafficking occurs across a range of industries, including domestic work and construction, not just the sex industry.

People in the sex industry can face a range of exploitative conditions which are seldom fully captured by the “human trafficking” framework. Many women in the sex industry choose this work because it is the best option available for them and do not want or need to be “rescued” or “saved.” We extend our services to all sex workers and believe that all sex workers — whether trafficked or not — deserve support and just treatment.

Abuse

Alert

Are you in a crisis & need immediate assistance? Do you need someone to talk to? Project X is here & we can help.
Call our Helpline at +65 9060 9906

Visit Get Help page to learn more

Kheng Leng

Social Worker | [email protected]

Social Worker
[email protected]

Kheng Leng is a Registered Social Worker with the Singapore Association of Social Workers. Prior to joining Project X, she worked extensively with youths-at-risk and on issues of intergenerational poverty in Singapore. She is experienced in pioneering innovative social services such as setting up a Collective Impact initiative to support the lower-income families at Spoooner Road and operationalising the first boarding campus for lower-income families at Spooner Road and operationalising the first boarding campus for lower-income youths at =Dreams.

Kheng Leng firmly believes that every person deserves to live their potential. She hopes to develop the social work services at Project X and provide our community with right resources and opportunities at whatever stage of their lives.

Kheng Leng holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Highest Distinction) from the National University of Singapore.

Vanessa Ho

Executive Director | [email protected]

Executive Director
[email protected]

Vanessa has been full-time with Project X since 2011, and as a result, has had many opportunities to meet and connect with sex workers in Singapore and around the world. Under her leadership, the organisation has grown from a small group of volunteers to one where there are three paid staff and a team of over 60 volunteers. Correspondingly, she has increased the annual operating budget of the organization five times, and is now recognized as the leading organization that empowers and assists women in the sex industry.

Vanessa has written and spoken extensively about sex work, human trafficking, rape culture, and LGBTQ rights in Singapore. She believes that if people can speak about sex, gender and sexuality in open and in non-judgmental ways, society will become a safer place for everyone.

Vanessa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Warwick, and a Masters Degree in Gender, Society and Representation from University College London.