Chemsex Specialist Practitioner Darren Murphy and Team Manager Hannah Wraith represented Forward Leeds at the International Chemsex Conference in Antwerp this month.
The event brought together 292 participants from 25 countries, sharing research, practical experiences, and community perspectives on how best to optimise support and care for people who engage in chemsex and other forms of sexualised drug use.
Reflecting on the experience, Darren said: “The passion, openness, and insight shared throughout the conference were truly inspiring. One of my biggest takeaways was the importance of providing compassionate, non-judgemental support, and the value of strong collaboration between services to ensure people can access the help they need when they need it.”
Team Manager Hannah Wraith added: “It’s vital that Forward Leeds is present at events like this. They allow us to stay connected with the latest evidence, innovative interventions, and the lived experiences of people we support. Being part of this international conversation shows that Forward Leeds is operating at the leading edge of chemsex support, continually adapting our approach so we can offer the safest, most informed and inclusive service possible.”
Topics covered at the conference included:
- Local and regional chemsex responses
- Chemsex and the brain – provisional findings from a pilot neuroimaging study
- Budd: the development of a mobile phone intervention for chemsex
- Meeting the chemsex support needs of underserved queer communities
And many other related to best practice around support for people involved in chemsex.
For more information, visit the International Chemsex Conference website: Optimising Support and Care for People Engaging in Chemsex.