Our next Seminar – ‘Looking For Love in All The Wrong Places’ – Chemsex Crime, Risk & Vulnerability will be held on Thursday 23rd November, 5-7pm.
This will be a free virtual event via Zoom. Spaces are limited on a first come basis.
To book your space please visit our Eventbrite page here:
Chemsex is an increasingly recognised phenomenon involving the use of certain substances (primarily crystal methamphetamine, GHB/GBL and mephedrone) in sexual settings, facilitated by the use of geolocation dating apps, and often involving multiple sexual partners/group sexual activity. It predominantly (although not exclusively) occurs within the Gay, Bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM) community.
There is increasing awareness and evidence for the use of these substances in this setting to be associated with sexual and other violence, as well as complex organised crime networks.
In this seminar we will introduce the concept of Chemsex, as well as vulnerabilities in the GBMSM group towards it; we will also explore the forensic aspects of chemsex behaviour through evidence associated with violence and Chemsex, and Project Sagamore, a Met Police and HMPPS partnership aiming to both prevent and manage Chemsex-associated criminal activity.
A significant emphasis will be placed on the dual victim/perpetrator duality that is often seen in this group of Chemsex users/offenders, and the unique hidden nature of this activity as compared to other forms of offending.
Speakers:
Dr.Bradley Hillier – Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, States of Jersey, Channel Islands, also in London and Acting Chair London Division Royal College of Psychiatrists
Stephen Morris – Chemsex Crime Lead – London Division. Operational Lead: Project Sagamore (HMPPS & Metropolitian Police).
Ewan Mckay – Foundation years doctor York and Scarborough University Teaching Hospitals, Co-founder of HEAL – LGBTQ+ advocacy group and honorary researcher at Cardiff university.
Allen Davis – Police Inspector – Continuous Policing Improvement – Metropolitan Police Service.
Dr.Bradley Hillier
Stephen Morris
Dr. Ewan McKay
Allen Davis
Research can transform lives. We want to support discoveries about what helps people with mental disorder who have been victims of criminal behaviour, or perpetrators of criminal behaviour, and their families, and the clinicians and others who treat them and, indeed, the wider community when its members are in contact with these problems. More effective prevention is the ideal, when this is not possible, we need more effective, evidenced interventions for recovery and restoration of safety.