About Project X

History

Project X was established in November 2008 by Wong Yock Leng, a social worker who recognized that sex workers in Singapore are amongst the most marginalized and discriminated in society, and saw a gap in services for the sex worker community. She started with a small team of committed volunteers who would walk the streets of Geylang regularly in order to speak to sex workers and close the gap between sex workers and non-sex workers.

Why We Exist

Our work has shown us that women in the sex industry are vulnerable to many issues. Often, they are afraid to report crimes against them because they worry of the legal and social consequences of being exposed as a sex worker. Unfortunately, people often prey on these vulnerabilities. Project X has seen many cases of sex workers suffering physical assault, harassment, extortion, robbery, and sexual violence.

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 volunteers. We conduct online outreach alongside our regular physical outreach in multiple parts of Singapore. Project X provides counselling, practical advice, befriender services, and education for women in the sex industry. We educate them on what avenues of recourse are available for them in cases of abuse, and encourage them to speak up when they are victims of abuse.

Our two community centres serve as safe spaces for sex workers to come and meet our community workers and discuss the issues they face. We organize monthly events at our centres as an opportunity to foster closer ties with the women, and encourage them to participate in our activities or come forward and utilize our services. Finally, we conduct fortnightly yoga classes at our centre to encourage people to take charge of their physical and mental health.

Our outreach efforts and community centres functions to create closer ties with the women, and to show them that there is support out there for their various needs and concerns. For more detail, look at the full list of programs that we offer.

Mission

Empower sex workers of all sexual orientation and gender identity and expression to take charge of their lives by providing space for self-determination.
Increase sex workers’ awareness of their basic human rights, thereby increasing reports of violence and abuse.
Speak out against violence against sex workers from law enforcers, clients, and members of the public.
Increase sex workers’ knowledge of health issues, including but not limited to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV.
Advocate for universal access to high standards of reproductive and sexual health services.
Foster a community that is supportive and inclusive through workshops and events.
Dispel myths of sex work and the inaccurate conflation with sex trafficking.
Advocate for the end of legal oppression of sex workers.

Vision

To eradicate violence and exploitation within the Singapore sex industry.