December 17th is International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. This event was created to call attention to hate crimes committed against sex workers all over the globe. International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers has empowered workers from over cities around the world to come together and organize against discrimination and remember victims of violence. Existing laws prevent sex workers from reporting violence. The stigma and discrimination that is perpetuated by the prohibitionist laws has made violence against us acceptable. Please join with sex workers around the world and stand against criminalization and violence committed against sex workers.

We know that criminalization endangers sex workers: Criminalization makes sex workers far more vulnerable to violence, compromises their health and access to services and rights, and profoundly undermines their status in our society.

As of 1999, Sweden’s laws on prostitution criminalize those who buy sexual services, but not those who sell sexual services. It also makes brothel ownership and procurement (pimping) illegal. While sex workers can no longer be arrested for doing sex work, they still are forced to work in a criminalized environment. Our perspective: Criminalization is criminalization.

See attached document for a detailed review of the Swedish model of prohibition.

It is the view of FIRST and Pivot Legal Society that the criminal laws prohibiting prostitution directly undermine the health, safety, and dignity of sex workers. Criminalization perpetuates stigma against sex workers and exposes them to negative social attitudes and harmful stereotypes. These laws force sex workers into the shadows.

For the most vulnerable sex workers – survival, street-based workers – criminal laws fail to address the underlying conditions that affect their lives.

A Public Service Announcement from FIRST, celebrating the strength and diversity of sex workers.

The Video below is housed at http://firstcoalition.blip.tv/

Thank you so much to everyone who was involved in this project from start to finish. We can't wait to make more!

Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Definition
Trafficking in persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction of fraud, of deception of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability, or of the giving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.[1]

September 24, 2009

Dear Salvation Army:

Vancouver’s sex workers are distressed and angry over your ‘The Truth isn’t Sexy’
anti-trafficking campaign. Sex workers are appalled that you never consulted the sex
worker community before launching this highly offensive campaign. Research has
repeatedly found that the involvement of sex workers is critical to the success of antitrafficking
campaigns.

Anti-trafficking initiatives are critically important, but grossly inflating the level of
trafficking and treating most female sex workers as trafficked “sex slaves” does
nothing to improve sex worker safety—it only exacerbates their stigma and
marginalization.

If you agree with our position statement and would like to become a member, there are many ways to join us:

Option 1: Create an account on this site, participate in online discussions, create a blog specifically addressing relevant issues and be as active as you would like to be! We will be featuring guest blogs weekly, so if you would to be the featured blogger for a week, please let us know!

Option 2: Join our listserve (hosted by Cybersolidaires) to receive information on our events, activities and press releases. Check out the website whenever you feel so inclined!