Touching Base Policy and Procedural Guide

for disability service providers supporting clients to access sex services

In September 2000, at a unique gathering, people with disability, their families and carers, sex workers and disability workers in NSW came together to discuss the often neglected issue of sexuality. In particular, they talked about barriers to sexual expression and access to the sex industry by people with a disability.

From this forum, Touching Base was established, with the goal of assisting people with disability and sex workers to connect with each other. The Touching Base Committee of management is led by sex workers and people with disability and is supported by organisations including People with Disability Australia Inc, The Spastic Centre of NSW, Family Planning NSW, Multiple Sclerosis Limited, and Scarlet Alliance - Australian Sex Workers Association.

The Touching Base Policy and Procedural Guide is aimed at enabling organisations to develop a policy that is supportive of the rights of people with disability to express their sexuality. These guidelines have been developed using a rigorous process of consultation with a broad cross-section of the disability sector. They are designed to fill a gap in policy within the disability sector and to enable the creation of supportive environments which uphold the rights of people with disability as sexual beings.