Today, we observe December 17th – International Day to STOP Violence Against Sex Workers.
This day is a reminder of the fight for the rights, safety, and dignity of sex workers, as well as the challenges our community faces. Last year, we marched together under red umbrellas at the 16th Red Umbrella March, and this year we travel through time with a reminder that unites our messages and the fight for justice, equality, and respect throughout the years.
Sex workers face violence, stigma, discrimination and a lack of legal protection. Violence, whether it comes from clients, family members or public institutions, often goes unreported due to fear or mistrust. Stigma makes it difficult to access health and social services, while the lack of legal regulation makes working conditions precarious and unsafe.
We would like to emphasize the fact that the only solutions to ensure dignified respect for the human rights and freedoms of sex workers are the decriminalization of sex work, which will enable legal recognition and protection, policies based on human rights and public health, which will reduce stigma and enable access to health and social services, as well as providing a legal framework that will protect sex workers from violence.
In a world where conservative values and stigma hinder the right to freedom and choice, sex workers remain marginalized and vulnerable. However, our fight for recognition of sex work as legitimate labor continues, because everyone has the right to dignity, respect, and protection, irrespective of their choice of profession.
The International Day to STOP Violence Against Sex Workers was first observed in 2003 as a day of remembrance and respect for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle, Washington. Ever since then, this day has been a symbol of solidarity and unity for sex workers around the world in the fight against discrimination, stigma and violence.
The implementation of the campaign on the occasion of December 17th – International Day to Stop Violence against Sex Workers is supported by the Red Umbrella Fund.