Engagement with the police

While the National Ugly Mugs register (NUM) has a number of aims as a service provider, our primary goal being to create a safe environment for Private Escorts and Masseurs (Escorts) and to report bad behaviour about their clients, NUM does not engage with any police service in Australia or overseas, unless it is compelled to by a lawful request (see below).

NUM recognises the structural barriers and difficulties that an Escort may have in accessing the police and we respect their choice not to do so. The combination of criminalisation, multiple marginalisations and stigma leads to unpredictable policing, and the possibility that more harm than good may be achieved through direct engagement with the police for both individuals and communities by NUM.

At the same time, some victims and survivors choose to seek justice through accessing police and courts directly and we are here to ensure that they receive support to navigate these systems when asked. Our approach currently is victim/survivor-led police engagement, where Escorts are in control of how much involvement they wish to have with the police and other support services, such as making a Report to NUM, by providing the level of support the Escort has requested of NUM and not questioning the Escort.

We trust the ability and autonomy of every Escort lodging a Report with NUM to choose their own pathway following an incident.

Subpoenas and User records

As a provider of online services, NUM maintains certain information concerning User activities on this Website (User Information). Pursuant to our Privacy policy, we keep User Information confidential to the extent that it identifies a particular individual, except under certain instances described more fully in our Privacy policy.

One such instance is where NUM is served with either a subpoena, witness summons, court order, or other legal process that compels for the disclosure of User Information (Valid Request). Where NUM receives a Valid Request, it will comply by disclosing the requested information. NUM reserves the right to cooperate with a law enforcement agency or Court (Authorised Body) and to provide copies of any and all information requested pursuant to the Valid Request relating to User Information provided we are able to and the information requested is able to be disclosed lawfully.

If you are a member of an Authorised Body or an attorney seeking information relevant to a pending litigation, please feel free to email your request setting out your reasons or the Valid Request, as the case may be, using the following contact information:

Blackbox Tech Pty Ltd
GPO Box T1756
Perth WA 6845

or you can email us at:

E: num@blackboxtech.com.au