Bliss without Risk was founded in Prague in 1992, as an answer to the boom in the number of sex workers after the change of regime of 1989. The main aims of the NGO are HIV&STI prevention among female sex workers, providing basic health care (HIV&STI testing, diagnosis and for some infections, treatment), linking sex workers to relevant health services, and providing psychosocial support. In 2005, Bliss without Risk opened its second centre (in Brno), but together with their Prague centre and their Mobile Ambulance, they are able to cover sex workers’ needs at national level.
Bliss without Risk provides a wide range of informational leaflets both to sex workers and to their clients. The leaflets for sex workers deal with HIV&STI prevention, promotion of safer sex and information about the labour market. The brochures that are to be given by sex workers to their clients exist in 6 different languages. The leaflets are spread by social workers through outreach work. Outreach workers propose saliva and rapid tests for HIV and syphilis to those interested.
The counselling provided at the 2 centres means not only psychosocial help (undisturbed and confidential chats with sex workers), but also provision of help in administrative procedures such as replacement of a lost identity card, and helping to resolve accommodation problems. The chats are a good opportunity to identify victims of trafficking. The centre provides also support in case of drug addiction through cooperation with the drop-in centre.
Social workers take care of the kids of sex workers while they have to work and take them to the zoo or any other suitable places. Bliss without Risk has also put together several theatre plays involving sex workers. They performed lately at the Romani Festival in Ostrava and at the international conference „AIDS, drugs and us” held in Poděbrady in November 2005.
The Bliss without Risk amateur actor ensemble serves as a part of a therapy sessions for clients of the association. The aim of theatre activities is to get UP to the stage those who feel being DOWN and out. The ensemble has already introduced 11 plays and been awarded the best performance play price for the play Stařena (Old woman) at Hoblík film festival in Hodonín city. Last play of the ensemble, named Teacher and Oidipus, could be seen in Hodonín, Brno, Prague or Hradec Králové.