Ragazza Hamburg

The association ragazza e.V. has been a central point of contact for drug-using and sex-working women in the Hamburg district of St. Georg since the end of 1991. Founded by Domenica Niehoff and other committed individuals, the association focuses on providing low-threshold and accepting support services.

• Contact and Point of Access: ragazza e.V. operates a contact and point of access with an integrated health room and consumption room, where women can receive warm meals, clothing, hygiene products, and medical care[3][4].
• Mobile Counseling Center: The mobile counseling center, known as Ragazzamobil, regularly visits the street prostitution areas in Hamburg to offer advice and assistance[2].
• Outreach Work: The team is active in model apartments, brothels, and escort services to establish contact with women and provide support[2].
• Counseling Work: Comprehensive counseling on topics such as safer sex, drug use and withdrawal, immediate assistance, homelessness, exit options from the scene, as well as legal and financial advice[4].

The main mission of ragazza e.V. is to provide and continuously develop specific support services for drug-using women engaged in sex work. Another focus is on public relations to raise awareness of the situation of these women and to counteract social exclusion[1][3].

• Building Trust: Through street social work, special events, and orientation tours in the city, efforts are made to build trust with target groups and break down barriers[2].
• Participatory Addiction Prevention: As part of the model project PaSuMi, informal training and new approaches in addiction work are being developed, especially for women with a migration background[2].
• Funding and Donations: The association relies on donations in addition to government funding to continue its social work. Clothing donations and other forms of support are also welcome[1][4].

The multiprofessional team consists of social educators, nurses, a managing director, an administrative staff member, domestic workers, and educational assistants. Additionally, students of social education support the work of the association through long-term internships. A doctor is available to visitors two days a week[1][4].

ragazza e.V. has been providing exemplary and model work in counseling and support for women in the drug and prostitution-affected scene in St. Georg for over three decades. The association is an important social and societal actor that makes a significant contribution to the support and integration of these women through its dedicated work.

• 1 - https://ragazza-hamburg.de/de/about-us
• 2 - https://pasumi.info/ragazza-e-v/
• 3 - https://ragazza-hamburg.de/de/
• 4 - https://www.reich-stiftung.org/ragazza-e-v-hilfe-fuer-drogengebrauchende-und-sich-prostituierende-frauen/
• 5 - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domenica_Niehoff