Sex workers and STAR has organized the traditional Red Umbrella March on 17th December (Tuesday) in Skopje, to mark the International Day to Stop Violence against Sex Workers. This year Red Umbrella March was dedicated to gender-based violence. Around 100 participants, sex workers, activists and our supporters marched from the Memorial House of Mother Teresa to the square of Philip II, joining the global campaign for solidarity with sex workers and reinforce the message to stop the violence and discrimination against sex workers.
“I am a human, a mother, and a wife. My personal choice of work should not bother anyone. We, sex workers will continue to fight, until we get equal treatment in society and hope to get the support from the institutions,” said one of our sexworkers’ spoke-woman in front of the media.
Marking this day is of a great importance to us. We have sent the message: STOP VIOLENCE to the general public and the institutions. They have an obligation to open a new chapter in the lives of sex workers where they can be both protected and safe and enjoy their rights equally in society. We do not stop here, we will continue to fight against discrimination, violence, stigma, coercion and exploitation.
According to the experiences and statistics worldwide and in Republic of North Macedonia, women and transgender sex workers are the most exposed to violence of any forms. According the analyzes from the surveys conducted directly in the field by CSOs in 2018, in North Macedonia, 100 cases of violence reported by sex workers have been documented. Most of them are cases of domestic violence, and violence against transgender sex workers. In 2019, the number of documented cases of violence is lower. But this is not due to the positive changes, but quite the contrary. According to our experiences in the field, sex workers are still discouraged, distrusted by institutions and afraid to report violence.
Numerous media sources have entirely covered the event. Many national and local TV gave support to sex workers by live streaming the Red Umbrella March in the central news.
In addition, we share some of the atmosphere from this year’s Red Umbrella March through the photos by Vanco Dzambaski at the following link: