Singapore

Empowering Singapore's sex workers: Transitioning to new careers

Image Credits: UnsplashImage Credits: Unsplash
  • Project X provides career coaching, financial literacy, and job placement support to help sex workers transition to mainstream employment.
  • The program addresses the significant stigma and legal barriers that sex workers face when seeking alternative careers.
  • Beyond professional support, Project X offers emotional and social services to help participants integrate into their new lifestyles.

Sex work in Singapore, while legal, is surrounded by a myriad of stigmas and legal complexities that make it challenging for individuals to transition to other careers. Project X, a non-profit organization, has been at the forefront of providing support to sex workers, helping them navigate these challenges and find alternative career pathways.

The Next Step Program

In October 2023, Project X launched The Next Step, a program designed to assist sex workers in transitioning to mainstream employment. Supported by funding from the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), the program aims to break the cycle of vulnerability that many sex workers face. As of now, 17 participants, ranging in age from their 20s to 50s, are enrolled in the program.

Vanessa Ho, the executive director of Project X, emphasizes the importance of such initiatives: “There has always been demand from sex workers for job support.” The program includes career coaching, financial literacy training, and resume writing workshops. Participants also receive small loans to start home-based businesses and are connected with potential employers.

Overcoming Stigma and Legal Barriers

One of the significant challenges sex workers face when transitioning to other careers is the stigma associated with their previous work. This stigma is often compounded by criminal records related to peripheral activities like soliciting or pimping, which are illegal in Singapore. “While sex work is legal, many peripheral activities such as pimping and soliciting are criminalized,” explains Vanessa Ho. This legal complexity makes it difficult for sex workers to find mainstream jobs, as employers are often hesitant to hire individuals with such backgrounds.

Personal Stories of Transition

Nina, a single mother in her mid-40s, is one of the beneficiaries of The Next Step program. After two decades in the sex industry, she transitioned to a customer service role with the help of Project X. Although she had to leave the job due to chronic back pain, Nina is grateful for the support she received. “When I started my new job, I was cooking for my son after work,” she recalls. “I missed all those normal daily-living lifestyle.”

Another participant, who completed a barista course through the program, highlights the diverse opportunities available to those willing to make a change. The program aims to reach 30 participants in its second year and is working to get more inclusive employers on board to provide job tasters and part-time job opportunities.

The Role of Community and Support

Project X’s approach is holistic, addressing not only the professional but also the emotional and social needs of sex workers. The organization provides counseling, practical advice, and befriender services. They also organize social gatherings and activities to help participants integrate into their new lifestyles.

Ms. Tok Kheng Leng, a social worker at Project X, notes the importance of understanding the unique challenges faced by sex workers: “Seeking help is not the most natural thing because they are fearful of, for example, contravening the law.” The program’s success lies in its ability to create a safe and supportive environment where participants can openly discuss their past and future aspirations.

Looking Forward

The journey from sex work to mainstream employment is fraught with challenges, but initiatives like The Next Step offer a beacon of hope. By providing comprehensive support and addressing the root causes of vulnerability, Project X is helping sex workers build better futures for themselves and their families.

As Nina poignantly puts it, “In prison, I saw 70-year-olds still working as sex workers. It’s very depressing, you know. I don’t want to be like that.” Her story, and those of others like her, underscore the importance of programs that offer tangible pathways out of the sex industry.


Read More

Economy Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
EconomyAugust 3, 2025 at 6:30:00 PM

Muslim-friendly travel platform revamped offerings with enticing new packages

Travel is changing—not just in where people go, but in how they move, what they value, and how they choose to experience the...

Housing Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
HousingAugust 3, 2025 at 6:30:00 PM

Senate housing bill targets affordability boost—what it means for renters and buyers

In the midst of the United States' ongoing housing affordability crisis, a new bipartisan bill is quietly advancing through the Senate with the...

Culture Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
CultureAugust 3, 2025 at 6:30:00 PM

How to handle over-talkers at work—without crushing their voice

Every team has one. The person who always has something to say. Who jumps into every discussion thread. Who extends meetings by fifteen...

Health & Wellness Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
Health & WellnessAugust 2, 2025 at 1:00:00 PM

What the Star of Life symbol on ambulances really means

It’s easy to overlook. You’re in traffic, shifting lanes to let an ambulance pass, and the moment feels purely functional: make space, wait...

In Trend Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
In TrendAugust 2, 2025 at 1:00:00 PM

Why working in the dark boosts creativity for some people

It begins quietly. The world slows. The room empties of sound. Maybe it’s just past midnight, or maybe dawn hasn’t broken yet. Either...

Health & Wellness Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
Health & WellnessAugust 2, 2025 at 1:00:00 PM

Why fast walking for 15 minutes a day could help you live longer

Walking is often overlooked because it feels too basic. Too soft. Too common. People associate health gains with sweat, soreness, or structured workouts....

Culture Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
CultureAugust 2, 2025 at 1:30:00 AM

How to build truly inclusive teams in a hybrid work environment

Inclusion doesn’t fail because people don’t care. It fails because leaders don’t design for it. Especially in hybrid teams, where presence is split...

Health & Wellness Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
Health & WellnessAugust 2, 2025 at 1:30:00 AM

These simple habits could help keep your brain sharp, according to science

Memory doesn’t decline overnight. It unravels. One habit missed here. One shortcut taken there. Over time, the system designed to protect cognition weakens—not...

Financial Planning Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
Financial PlanningAugust 2, 2025 at 1:30:00 AM

How pre-K and career advancement for parents are connected

For millions of working parents, the preschool years are less about early childhood enrichment and more about one stark question: how do I...

Adulting Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
AdultingAugust 2, 2025 at 1:30:00 AM

How conservative women are creating their own version of ‘having it all’

She bakes bread and manages a Shopify storefront. She runs a household of four children while writing a Substack column on parenting. She...

Leadership Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
LeadershipAugust 2, 2025 at 1:00:00 AM

Why looking like a leader isn’t the same as leading

We were two months into our seed raise when I realised I was rehearsing my facial expressions before every Zoom call. I’d tilt...

Loans Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
LoansAugust 2, 2025 at 1:00:00 AM

The student loan SAVE pause has ended. Now what?

The end of the student loan SAVE pause isn’t just a policy footnote—it’s a financial inflection point. For millions of borrowers, this signals...

Load More