International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
Encyclopedia
International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is observed annually on 17 December by Sex worker
s, their advocates, friends, families and allies.
First celebrated in 2003, the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is the brainchild of Dr. Annie Sprinkle
and the Sex Workers Outreach Project USA (SWOP-USA)
, an American
Sex Worker's Rights
organization.
Originally conceived as a memorial
and vigil
for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle Washington, it has evolved into an annual international event.
The day calls attention to AIDS, hate crimes committed against sex workers all over the globe as well as the need to remove the stigma
and discrimination
that is perpetuated by custom and prohibitionist laws that has made violence against sex-workers acceptable.
The red umbrella has become an important symbol for Sex Workers Rights and it is increasingly being used on December 17: "First adopted by Venetian sex workers for an anti-violence march in 2002, red umbrellas have come to symbolize resistance against discrimination for sex workers worldwide."
Sex worker
A sex worker is a person who works in the sex industry. The term is usually used in reference to those in the sex industry that actually provide such sexual services, as opposed to management and staff of such industries...
s, their advocates, friends, families and allies.
Annie Sprinkle
Annie M. Sprinkle is an American former prostitute, stripper, pornographic actress, cable television host, porn magazine editor, writer and sex film producer...
and the Sex Workers Outreach Project USA (SWOP-USA)
Sex Workers Outreach Project USA
Sex Workers Outreach Project-USA was founded by Robyn Few and others in 2003 as a US chapter of SWOP based out of Australia. SWOP-USA is the largest sex worker rights organization in the United States, with chapters in several states...
, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Sex Worker's Rights
Sex worker rights
The term sex worker rights encompasses a variety of aims being pursued globally by individuals and organizations that specifically involve the human and labor rights of sex workers....
organization.
Originally conceived as a memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
and vigil
Vigil
A vigil is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance...
for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle Washington, it has evolved into an annual international event.
The day calls attention to AIDS, hate crimes committed against sex workers all over the globe as well as the need to remove the stigma
Social stigma
Social stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
and discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
that is perpetuated by custom and prohibitionist laws that has made violence against sex-workers acceptable.
The red umbrella has become an important symbol for Sex Workers Rights and it is increasingly being used on December 17: "First adopted by Venetian sex workers for an anti-violence march in 2002, red umbrellas have come to symbolize resistance against discrimination for sex workers worldwide."
See also
- A Vindication of the Rights of WhoresA Vindication of the Rights of WhoresA Vindication of The Rights of Whores, is an anthology edited by Gail Pheterson with a preface by Margo St. James.The book consists of the voices of a diverse group of prostitutes, Sex worker's rights activists and feminist scholars from around the world, discussing their lives and their...
- COYOTECOYOTECOYOTE, or Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics, is an American sex worker activist organization. COYOTE's goals include the decriminalization of prostitution, pimping and pandering, as well as the elimination of social stigma concerning sex work as an occupation.Though it is frequently described as a...
- DecriminalizationDecriminalizationDecriminalization or Decriminalisation is the abolition of criminal penalties in relation to certain acts, perhaps retroactively, though perhaps regulated permits or fines might still apply . The reverse process is criminalization.Decriminalization reflects changing social and moral views...
- Margo St. JamesMargo St. JamesMargo St. James , a self-described prostitute and sex-positive feminist, founded the organization COYOTE , which advocates decriminalization of prostitution.-History:...
- Sex-positive feminismSex-positive feminismSex-positive feminism, also known as pro-sex feminism, sex-radical feminism, or sexually liberal feminism is a movement that began in the early 1980s...
- Sex worker rightsSex worker rightsThe term sex worker rights encompasses a variety of aims being pursued globally by individuals and organizations that specifically involve the human and labor rights of sex workers....
- Sex workerSex workerA sex worker is a person who works in the sex industry. The term is usually used in reference to those in the sex industry that actually provide such sexual services, as opposed to management and staff of such industries...
- World Charter for Prostitutes Rights
External links
- Main website for International Day to end violence against Sex workers
- main website of Network of Sex Work Projects (International)
- main website of Sex Workers Outreach Project USA (SWOP-USA (USA)
- 5th International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (2007)
- SWANK Sex Worker Action New yorK - an NYC-based radical sex workers' initiative
- $pread magazine is an independent publication by and for sex workers and their allies in the sex industry.
- Remembering Our Dead and Wounded, Annie Sprinkle, Ph.D.