SWOPUSA
invites you to join us and sex worker organizations around the world
to celebrate the lives of sex workers as well as highlight sex workers'
determination and strength.
Read
other stories about past International Days For Sex Worker Rights
(2008 Links - several expired,to be updated)
DMSC:
Only Rights Can Stop The Wrongs
Old Laws a Curse on SA's Sex Workers (SWEAT, South Africa)
Report
from The Hindu, India National Newspaper
Kracktivist: Bridge the Gap, Bring the Change: March 3
Ontario
Coalition Against Poverty
Can Rights Stop The Wrongs?
Scoop
Independent News-South Africa
Terb.ca,
Escort Board, Toronto
Kolkata: Sex Workers Congregate at 'Unity Fair'
Cybersolidaires
(French)
Robyn Few and Tara Birl by Caitlin Childs 2008
Valerie
and Patricia of Sex Professionals of Canada www.spoc.ca |
Sex
Professionals of Canada www.spoc.ca
|
from
Collective of Sex Workers and Supporters, Taiwan www.coswas.org |
from
Scot PEP www.scot-pep.org.uk |
from
Cambodia www.apnsw.org/apnsw.htm |
from
sexworkeurope.org |
Wherever you are: wear
red, or your favorite sexy outfit, and bring a red umbrella!
Links to a few past and present celebrations
around the world
(older links-many not working):
Nambian
Sex Workers on International Sex Worker Rights Day 2014 and more
International
Sex Worker Rights Day History from NSWP
International
Sex Worker Rights Day 2013 SWOP NewOrleans
International
Sex Worker Rights Day 2012 San Francisco
International
Sex Worker Rights Day 2016 at SWAN in Europe
Feministe
2009
Announcing Historic gatheringon March 3, 2008 organized
by Robyn Few featuring
the Brass Liberation
Orchestra
Endorsed
by: US PROStitutes Collective,
Desiree
Alliance, BAYSWAN, Different Avenues,
the St.
James Infirmary,
San Francisco
Sex Worker Film and Arts Festival
and more
This inaugural
celebration is especially important to sex workers in the Bay Area
as we struggle to resist the escalating repressive policies of the
Bush administration. This occasion renews our strength to demand recognition
of our human rights as we struggle to combat violence and oppression
against sex workers. This day reminds us that we are part of a global
community of people who refuse to accept the discrimination against
us and the criminalization of our work, our means to survive.
We appreciate
the support we have received over the years from Bay Area individuals,
organizations and communities and we celebrate YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT
as part of this day!
We demand:
• Decriminalize
Prostitution!
Endorse local
petitions and initiative drives to decriminalize prostitution and
prioritize safety.
•
Stop The Raids! No More Deportations!
In the guise of rescuing women from traffickers, San Francisco
Police Department collaborates with the U.S. Department of Justice,
resulting in the deportation of women. The Bush administration, their
globalization and trade policies are some of the root causes of trafficking.
Sex workers should be empowered to address abuses in our communities
rather than excluded through this administration's "anti-prostitution
loyalty oath." Sex workers are part of the solution!
• No
More Stings! Stop the Corruption! Stop the entrapment of prostitutes
and their customers.
Clients and prostitutes are entrapped in stings, then 'blackmailed'
by the District Attorney into attending stigmatizing, anti-prostitution
'reeducation seminars' FOPP, First Offender Prostitution Program -
SAGE, the sponsor group is defunct as of 2014, but the District Attorney
said they are going to continue this program. The fees are exorbitant
($1000), but those arrested or cited attend, fearing exposure to their
families, etc. But where has the money gone? Why is there no compliance
with the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance or financial audits? Although
the Public Defender also sponsors a diversion program, why does the
District Attorney enforce this monopoly on an expensive diversion
option for prostitution related cases? Stop the corruption!
• Stop
The Repression! Sex Workers and Migrants: Victims of Anti-trafficking
Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women recently published a
report, Collateral Damage (www.gaatw.net), which explains how sex
workers and migrants around the world are being targeted by repressive
forces under the banner of anti-trafficking.
Fundamentalist feminists in the U.S. are lobbying congress to pass
increasingly restrictive and punitive legislation targeting voluntary
commercial sex. They propose a change in the definition of trafficking
to blur the distinctions between forced prostitution and voluntary
commercial sex. They propose expansion of the powers of the Department
of Justice to monitor the voluntary sex industries federalizing all
prostitution-related ‘crimes,’ which has even been rejected
by the DOJ. Stop the repression!