Today, we mark December 17th – International Day to STOP Violence Against Sex Workers.
This day reminds us of our ongoing struggle for the recognition of basic human rights, safety, and dignity of sex workers, as well as the urgent need to increase public awareness, support, and solidarity with our community.
This year’s campaign is dedicated to the symbol that has united us, protected us, and carried our voices for 18 years – the red umbrella. We have turned the red color, a symbol of love, courage, and resistance, into a visual shield against violence. Through it, we tell our story, express our hope, and show our presence.
In a powerful video titled “Under the Red Umbrella, We Fight for Equality, Dignity, and Protection”, three sex workers share the realities they live through, the fears they carry, and the needs they have. Their voices echo our demands: All we need is safety, justice, and support…
Sex workers, especially women and transgender people, are targeted by various forms of gender-based violence, in public spaces, in private settings, and online. This violence is often unpunished, invisible, and institutionally ignored. It comes from clients, partners, police, and even healthcare and social service providers.
The sex worker community faces multiple, intersecting forms of marginalization, such as poverty, low levels of education, ethnic discrimination, and discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity which increase the community’s overall vulnerability.
Women who use drugs, trans people, and LGBTI+ individuals are especially exposed to additional stigma and exclusion. They often lack access to healthcare and psychosocial support, and fear of judgment or arrest prevents many from reporting violence or seeking help.
Furthermore, digital gender-based violence is becoming an increasingly common reality. Intimate content shared online as part of sex workers’ jobs or personal lives often ends up on public platforms without consent followed by blackmail, threats, and shame. Instead of being recognized as victims, they are met with stigma and silence. That is why the Istanbul Convention, which recognizes gender-based violence and promotes the concept of consent, is a key instrument for protecting the rights of sex workers and promoting gender equality, both offline and online.
In this reality, the red umbrella is more than a symbol – it is our sign of resistance, of dignity, and of our demand to be heard. It symbolizes protection from abuse by partners, police, clients, and others; resistance against condemnation in conservative and stigmatizing societies; and the fight for equal human rights.
The message is clear:
There is no dignity without safety.
There is no justice without the recognition of sex work as work.
Our demands are the following:
- Decriminalization of sex work
- Recognition of sex workers’ labor and human rights
- Acknowledgment of voluntary sex work, done freely and by personal choice
- Provision of safe working conditions and access to health, legal, and social services
Our struggle is both personal and collective. It is not temporary – it is woven into our daily lives: when we are forced to demand basic protection, when we stay silent out of shame that is not ours, when we survive instead of living freely.
The history of the red umbrella
The red umbrella was first used as a symbol of the global sex workers’ movement in 2001 during the 49th Venice Biennale, as part of the installation “The First World Congress of Sex Workers” created by Slovenian artist Tadej Pogačar. The installation, also known as “The Prostitutes’ Pavilion,” was held in a public space, where sex workers from several countries, together with Italian sex workers, shared their realities and discussed strategies to protect their rights.
From the pavilion, a march began through the streets of Venice, where sex workers carrying red umbrellas and megaphones captured public attention, highlighting poor working conditions and human rights violations.
Since 2005, the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE), now known as ESWA (European Sex Workers Rights Alliance), adopted the red umbrella as the symbol of resistance against violence and discrimination – a symbol now recognized by movements around the world.
In Skopje, the red umbrella was first introduced during the first Red Umbrella March in 2007 – exactly 18 years ago – and since then, every year, it has remained a symbol of resistance, of our story, and of the voice of sex workers.
The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers was first commemorated in 2003 as a day of remembrance for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle, Washington. Since then, it has become a day of global solidarity, visibility, and unity for sex workers around the world.
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.