SWOP USA has more info and links on the history of March 3rd and International Sex Workers’ Rights Day.
I believe that Sex Workers are human beings. That pretty much sums up my feelings on the subject, but for anyone new and following along at home let me expound on that.
I believe that Sex Workers have a right to their own bodies. Meaning, they alone should have the agency to determine what they do w/ it, and w/ whom. So long as all parties involved are consenting adults it is none of my, nor anyone else’s business.
I believe that Sex Work is a valid line of work, and that those who work in the industry have a right to be treated w/ respect. People who choose to work in the Sex Industry are making a living, sometimes the best way they know how. I believe that we should repeal criminalization laws regarding voluntary sex work in order to protect the lives of people working in the Sex Industry. I believe that this would be a first step in making health care and security available to Sex Workers, and allow us to focus more on dire crimes like trafficking and child prostitution, which would be illegal anyway, even if prostitution were legal everywhere. It could put some women in more control of their lives, and help them to get things like insurance and retirement.
I believe that the criminalization of Sex Work puts more women at risk of bodily and mental harm. I think that projects like nation-wide stings that are supposedly aimed at saving children are really about punishing women who have the audacity to be sexual. It enforces a moral code of few onto many. Criminalization can prevent Sex Workers who are abused, beaten, raped, or even killed from getting justice. Fear of criminal action could prevent women already at risk from seeking help. It also seems to overwhelmingly let people who are paying for services provided by Sex Worker off the hook, which seems hypocritical when we are arresting Sex Workers in huge numbers w/ the excuse that “it’s illegal!”.
Feel free to chime in w/ comments on Sex Workers’ rights. This is a pretty basic post, since I am new to getting into the issues of Sex Workers’ rights.
I also want to thank everyone who commented in my last post on Sex Work w/ lots of information.
*This post is dated March 4th b/c I am not yet used to blogging from another time zone. My apologies for the lateness, but it is technically March 3rd somewhere.
