About Citylight
Mission Statement
To see all women and girls within our society free from sexual exploitation and empowered to make free choices and to live independently.
Aims
- To address the crime of sex trafficking in women and girls by offering support to victims, and engaging in preventative strategies, and secondly;
- To empower female victims of sexual exploitation and women working within prostitution, whether by force, coercion, economic circumstance or lack of opportunities, to make positive, alternative choices, in a way that enhances their self-esteem and allows them to regain their independence.
Objective
Our objective is therefore to provide support services to women and girls who are engaged in any form of work within the sex industry, trafficked or otherwise, offering them holistic forms of exit support in conjunction with harm reduction advice.
Our Values
Citylight is a Christian organisation, founded upon principles of love, respect and equality for all. Our work is based quite firmly on the premise that prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation of any kind is inherently harmful to women and children. We advocate a manifesto in accordance with that of the European Women's Lobby (EWL) and the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW): To work in prostitution is not a choice one often makes freely, rather, it is chosen for women by their socio-economic constraints, vulnerabilities, impoverishment, the strongholds of sexual abuse, gender inequality, and those men who demand the sale of sex (Manifesto, Joint CATW-EWL Press Conference 2005).
Our Partners
Citylight is working in partnership with the Sussex Police to raise awareness of sex trafficking within local brothels and parlours as part of Operation Pentameter II, the national campaign against trafficking in human beings. Our joint outreach began in November 2007 and will continue on a regular basis, visiting different establishments every few months in order to monitor the safety and wellbeing of all women working in local brothels, offer them support, and raise their awareness of trafficking.
We welcome referrals from other agencies, both locally and nationally. Please contact us for a referral form.
Endorsements
Stop the Traffik
"The modern-day slave trade that is human trafficking isn't just someone else, somewhere else. It's happening right here, right now. The work of Citylight is essential in supporting the victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation in Brighton and beyond. STOP THE TRAFFIK is pleased to support Citylight as they seek to rebuild the lives of vulnerable women who have been victim to the heinous crime that is human trafficking."
Brighton & Hove Police
"Brighton & Hove police have been working very closely with Citylight, who have supported the police in joint visits to sex worker establishments in the city. Their support enables the police to reassure sex workers that there is support and routes out of prostitution. Our aim is to support potential victims and prosecute those who involve themselves in the trafficking of vulnerable people".