Sexuality Education and Responsibility (SER) Program

The Sexuality Education and Responsibility (SER) Program was developed in May of 2014 as a partnership between the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and JJPI in order to address the demand for prostitution within the city of Philadelphia. SER is an educational diversion program using a brief group therapy format that assesses and treats individuals arrested for first time solicitation or attempted solicitation of prostitution. The mission of the SER program is twofold: first, to provide accurate information about the sex work industry and second, to diminish the demand for prostitution by challenging false beliefs that support sex solicitation.

Following the guidelines of best practice from the National Assessment of Prostitution and Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Efforts, JJPI’s SER program utilizes relational processing and motivational interviewing techniques to address 6 areas of clinical focus: the health risks associated with purchasing sex, the relationship between prostitution and human trafficking, the negative impact of sex work on those being prostituted and the community, the potential for criminal victimization while engaging in commercial sex, sexual compulsion/addiction, and relapse prevention.

SER is held on the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at JJPI’s Safety and Responsibility Program (SRP) location. All referrals are made to JJPI from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.