La CLES - Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle

What La CLES - Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle does

La CLES (Concertation des luttes contre l'exploitation sexuelle) is a feminist non-profit community organization founded in 2005 and headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. The organization works to combat sexual exploitation and prostitution through three core action areas: (1) direct support services for women and girls with lived experience in the sex industry and for their close relatives, including individual psychosocial follow-up, accompaniment to medical, legal, and housing appointments, group support meetings, and an emergency solidarity fund; (2) prevention, awareness, research, and training, including specialized training for frontline professionals in shelters, youth protection centres, secondary schools, and police forces, plus research outputs such as a needs assessment of 109 women and a multi-university study on the consequences of prostitution; and (3) political advocacy and alliance-building, including promotion of the Nordic/equality model and Quebec's LPCPVE law.

The organization's economic model is non-commercial. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Funding is drawn from two main streams: institutional grants, principally from the Secrétariat à la condition féminine du Québec, and individual/organizational donations processed via the Zeffy platform and by cheque. Outreach is conducted through community organizing, member recruitment (233 individual members, 53 associate members), 22 active militants, an annual cycle of awareness events (including the 12 Days of Action Against Violence Toward Women, the National Week of Action Against Sexual Exploitation, the International Day of Non-Prostitution, and the F1 Grand Prix campaign), press relations with outlets such as TVA Nouvelles, La Presse, and Radio-Canada, and a documentation/publishing arm. There is no proprietary technology product; distribution is anchored in Montreal with regional reach across Quebec and select international advocacy linkages (CAP International, Marche des Survivantes).

Name

La CLES - Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle

Legal name

Concertation des luttes contre l'exploitation sexuelle (La CLES)

Website

https://lacles.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La CLES is a Montreal-based feminist non-profit founded in 2005 that fights sexual exploitation in Quebec through direct support services for women and their relatives, professional training, research, and political advocacy for the LPCPVE/Nordic model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit social services / anti-sexual exploitation advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAD

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAGAFAD

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAAAG

Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Relief

Keywords

• Anti-sexual exploitation services
• Feminist community organization
• Survivor support services
• Abolitionist advocacy
• Professional training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and organizational donations: La CLES raises funds through one-time and recurring monetary donations from individuals and organizations. Donors can contribute online via the Zeffy platform or by mailing a cheque. Donations support the organization's solidarity fund for women in prostitution, which covers emergency needs such as food, transport, school fees, housing moves, psychotherapy sessions, and recreational activities for beneficiaries' children.
2. Government and institutional funding: CLES receives institutional support from government bodies, notably the Secrétariat à la condition féminine du Québec. This funding supports the organization's core operations, advocacy work, training programs, and direct service delivery.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

La CLES is a feminist non-profit community organization that provides direct support services, training, advocacy, and research to combat sexual exploitation of women and girls in Quebec. Its core offerings include individual psychosocial support and practical accompaniment for women in or exiting the sex industry, support groups for close relatives, professional training for frontline workers, advocacy for the Nordic/equality model and LPCPVE law, and a Solidarity Fund for emergency financial assistance.

Product overview

La CLES is a feminist community organization offering a unified service portfolio focused on combating sexual exploitation in Quebec. The organization provides direct support services including individual psychosocial support, practical assistance, and support groups for women with lived experience in the sex industry, as well as dedicated services for family and friends. Their work encompasses prevention through training programs for professionals, advocacy using the Nordic/equality model and LPCPVE legislation, and awareness campaigns such as the 'L'achat d'actes sexuels, c'est criminel!' initiative. La CLES publishes research reports and guides including the Integrated Services Guide and the Guide for Family and Friends, and operates a Solidarity Fund for emergency financial assistance. The organization mobilizes through annual events including the 12 Days of Action Against Violence and the National Week Against Sexual Exploitation, while maintaining a membership structure with 233 individual and 53 associate members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Direct Support Services for Women Individual psychosocial support and practical assistance for women and girls affected by sexual exploitation, including accompaniment to medical appointments, legal procedures, employment search, housing, and return to education. The service is provided free of charge and delivered by intervention workers.
• Support Groups for Women Confidential group sessions where women with lived experience in the sex industry can share experiences and support each other, covering topics such as paths to prostitution, violence consequences, mental health, and exiting prostitution. Delivered in-person and online.
• Support Services for Family and Friends Group and individual support services for relatives of women in the sex industry, helping family members and friends understand the situation, address their own emotional burden, and find appropriate resources to support their loved ones.
• Training and Prevention Programs Specialized training for intervention workers in shelters (maisons d'hébergement), youth centres (centres jeunesse), secondary schools, and police forces, providing in-depth knowledge on sexual exploitation, prostitution, and the needs of women in prostitution.
• Solidarity Fund Emergency financial assistance fund providing direct support for women in precarious situations to help them exit prostitution. Covers expenses such as food, transportation, school fees, housing moves, psychotherapy sessions, and recreational activities for beneficiaries' children.
• LPCPVE Advocacy Campaign Materials Educational materials and guides about the Law on the Protection of Communities and Persons Victim of Exploitation (LPCPVE), the Nordic model, and the abolitionist approach, used to support advocacy and policy change.
• Guide for Family and Friends (Second Edition) Second edition guide titled 'S'outiller pour mieux comprendre' designed to equip family and friends of sexual exploitation victims with understanding and tools to support their loved ones.
• Research on Women's Needs in the Sex Industry Study conducted with 109 women across Quebec to better understand their needs and improve services for those with lived experience in the sex industry.
• Major Study on Consequences of Prostitution Research study by seven researchers from Quebec universities examining the consequences of prostitution on the development and well-being of girls and women.
• Integrated Services Guide Guide titled 'Pour s'en sortir: mieux connaître les réalités, être soutenues et avoir des alternatives' providing integrated services information for women exiting prostitution.

Quantifiable outcome

• 109 women surveyed across Quebec to understand needs and inform service design
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Prévention Jeunesse LavalcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025Co-organizer of the annual F1 Grand Prix exploitation awareness campaign in Montreal alongside CLES and other partners. Joint campaign: 'Un trop grand prix pour les femmes et les filles' (A Too High Price for Women and Girls), launched each June during the Montreal F1 Grand Prix to raise public awareness about sexual exploitation.
• Prévention Jeunesse LongueuilcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025Co-organizer of the annual F1 Grand Prix exploitation awareness campaign in Montreal alongside CLES and other partners. Joint campaign aims to inform the public and encourage action against sexual exploitation targeting women and girls.
• Y des femmes de Montréal (YWCA Montreal)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025Co-organizer of the annual F1 Grand Prix exploitation awareness campaign. Y des femmes de Montréal is also an associate member of CLES, contributing to joint advocacy and community organizing efforts against sexual exploitation.
• CAP International (Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019CLES participated in the 3rd World Congress against sexual exploitation of women and girls organized by CAP International in Mainz, Germany (April 2019). CLES representatives attended alongside survivors and activists to strengthen international abolitionist networks and share knowledge.
• Marche des Survivantes (Belgium)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019During a European delegation (April 2019), six CLES workers, militants, and/or survivors traveled to Belgium to participate in the Marche des Survivantes, an international demonstration organized by survivors of sexual exploitation, further cementing CLES's role in the global abolitionist movement.
• Secrétariat à la condition féminine du QuébeccoreOthersThe Secrétariat à la condition féminine is a government body that provides ongoing institutional support to CLES, recognizing its expertise and funding its operations, training programs, and direct service delivery in the fight against sexual exploitation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Marche mondiale des femmes: Global feminist mobilization network of ~5,000 groups in 165 countries co-led by CLES co-founder Diane Matte. Comparable in feminist advocacy orientation and global mobilization function, operating at a far larger scale.
• CALACS (Centres d'aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel): Quebec-wide network of sexual-assault crisis centres that overlap directly with CLES's survivor-support mandate. Several CALACS centres are associate members of CLES and operate with similar feminist service models, making them the closest direct peer.
• Fédération des maisons d'hébergement pour femmes: Quebec federation of women's shelters providing housing, support, and advocacy to women victims of violence — directly comparable in service model and Quebec operating geography, including overlap in CLES's training programs.
• CAP International (Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution): International abolitionist coalition of NGOs active in prostitution policy reform. CLES participated in CAP's 3rd World Congress (Mainz, 2019), making this the most directly comparable international peer in policy framing and survivor-advocacy.
• La Maison de Marthe: Quebec women's resource organization providing support to women in difficult circumstances; an associate member of CLES offering comparable survivor-services and feminist advocacy in the same regional ecosystem.
• Y des femmes de Montréal (YWCA Montreal): Montreal-based feminist non-profit serving women and girls through shelter, advocacy, and training — both an associate member of CLES and a co-organizer of the F1 Grand Prix exploitation campaign, making it a directly comparable peer in mission and Quebec footprint.

Regional players

• Native Women's Shelter of Montreal: Montreal-based shelter and support services for Indigenous women fleeing violence. Comparable in survivor-support mission and Montreal footprint, though focused on Indigenous communities and with a different funding base.

Emerging players

• Stella, l'amie de Maimie: Montreal community organization working with sex workers. Operates in the same beneficiary population as CLES but advocates from a sex-worker-led perspective rather than an abolitionist one — a critical ideological peer and counterpart in Quebec.

Broad incumbents

• RÉSEAU (Réseau d'action pour l'égalité des femmes): Quebec-wide feminist coalition of ~80 women's organizations working on equality, health, and violence. A broader incumbent peer that overlaps with CLES's coalition-building role but operates across a much wider portfolio of issues.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_LaCLES
• Facebookfacebook.com/ConcertationCLES
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-cles-montreal
• Instagraminstagram.com/lacles.ca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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