Practising social inclusion : the case of street-based sex workers

In this chapter, we briefly review the impacts of stigma and discrimination on female street-based sex workers and how this results in social exclusion. The chapter discusses ways to increase social inclusion through exploring the business of St Kilda Gatehouse, a not-for-profit organisation located in Melbourne, Australia, designed to provide services and support for male, female and transgender street-based sex workers and homeless people; male and transgender street-based sex workers are not the focus of this chapter. We will illustrate how a community based organisation such as the St Kilda Gatehouse can facilitate social inclusiveness for female street-based sex workers and address issues of social inclusion in their service delivery. We will then discuss the impact that the organisation has on female street-based female sex workers in St Kilda who access the Gatehouse.