March 3rd was International Sex Worker Rights Day. I’ve been buried in art projects lately and completely forgot to post about it. Naughty sex worker-I know!
Still it’s an important day so here’s some info.
From SWOP:
SWOP-NORCAL: Sex Workers Rights Issues Into the 21st Century
“SWOP-USA is organized to support the rights and address conditions for some of the most marginalized members of our society: women, transgender people and others who work in the sex industries. Many in our communities are greatly affected by poverty, prejudices and incarceration. We are further disenfranchised through racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and economic oppression. The issues below are of great concern to our members and our communities.
Sex Workers are Part the Community
Whether you see us or not are everywhere. We are sons, daughters, siblings, cousins, spouses and parents. We play an important role in our society and make valuable contributions to our communities and to our families. Our health and safety is a valuable asset to our country. It is in the best interest of all that sex workers enjoy the same rights and responsibilities as other workers and business people.
Sex Workers Fight Against HIV
The Report of the Commission on AIDS in Asia noted that sex workers are part of the solution to preventing the spread of HIV. This year, United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon called for an end to discrimination against sex workers noting that prevention is only available to sex workers in countries with laws that protect them. Counterproductive policies must stop, such as condom use are evidence in prostitution cases or the US “Anti-Prostitution Pledge” as a condition for receiving USAID funding. There is much to be gained by working with sex worker and public health organizations to define best practices.
Sex Workers Are Part the Solution
Sex workers and their allies around the world have been in the forefront of the struggle against human trafficking, working together to address force, coercion and other abuses in the sex industry. Sex work done consensually by adults is distinctly different from human trafficking. The conflation of these concepts inhibits our role in contributing solutions to human trafficking and other abuses in our industry. There is a great deal of expertise from our communities defining safe work environments, identifying abusive situations and establishing a culturally appropriate community-based response to these problems.
Decriminalize Prostitution!
Prop K, the San Francisco decriminalization ballot initiative secured 41% of the vote. There is a great deal of support in California for sex worker rights and decriminalization
No more stings! Stop the corruption! Stop the entrapment of prostitutes and their customers!
No more raids! Stop the deportations!
Violence Against Sex Workers Is Not Acceptable
Violence against us is not only tolerated, but even expected by society. Gary Leon Ridgway, the Green River Killer, murdered more than 60 women over a 21-year period with impunity. When he was finally apprehended he was quoted as saying: “I thought I could get away with killing hookers because nobody cares about them… I was doing the cops a favor by cleaning the trash up off the street.” It is clear that labeling sex workers as criminals puts us at odds with law enforcement who should be protecting us and it sends a message to society that sex workers are expendable. Sex workers should not be criminals and violence against us should be classified as hate crime.”
Some history of today can be found here. Village Voice interviewed Sarah Jenny Bleviss co-founder of SWOP in the post It’s International Sex Worker Rights Day: Free the Condoms! And Phoebe’s Story: Why We Need International Sex Workers Rights Day is a good blog post on the day.
Posted by Vixen as Activism, Sex Workers at 1:30 PM CST