International
Sex Worker Rights Day March 3rd |
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Sex Workers Outreach Project-Northern California (SWOP-Norcal)
www.swop-usa.org
invites
you and all our allies in San Francisco, to join us a as we march to
celebrate:
International Sex Worker Rights Day
Visit
sexworkerfest.com/trouble for Sex Worker Pride
Music Video
Additional
SWOP events listed here
| 
Cambodia
www.apnsw.org/apnsw.htm |
sexworkeurope.org |
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featuring
the Brass Liberation
Orchestra
Wear
red, or your favorite sexy outfit, and bring a red umbrella!
Please
email us at
swopusa@yahoo.com to
join us as endorsers and sponsors.
Endorsed
by: US PROStitutes Collective,
Desiree
Alliance, BAYSWAN, Different Avenues,
the St.
James Infirmary,
San Francisco
Sex Worker Film and Arts Festival, Bay Area Radical Women
(ongoing-more to be listed)
When: March
3, 2008
Time:
11:30 am
Rally:
301 Eddy Street (Tenderloin Police
Station) (at
Leavenworth)
March to:
City Hall
For info:
Carol Leigh 415-751-1659
SWOP-NORCAL is
launching the first U.S. march to celebrate International Sex Workers'
Rights Day, March 3rd.
This inaugural
celebration is especially important to sex workers in the Bay Area
as we struggle to resist the escalating repressive policies of the
Bush administration. This occasion renews our strength to demand recognition
of our human rights as we struggle to combat violence and oppression
against sex workers. This day reminds us that we are part of a global
community of people who refuse to accept the discrimination against
us and the criminalization of our work, our means to survive.
We appreciate
the support we have received over the years from Bay Area individuals,
organizations and communities and we celebrate YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT
as part of this day! SWOP-NORCAL invites you to join us and sex worker
organizations around the world to celebrate the lives of sex workers
as well as highlight sex workers' determination and strength.
We demand:
• Decriminalize
Prostitution!
Endorse local
petitions and initiative drives to decriminalize prostitution and
prioritize safety.
•
Stop The Raids! No More Deportations!
In the guise of rescuing women from traffickers, San Francisco
Police Department collaborates with the U.S. Department of Justice,
resulting in the deportation of women. The Bush administration, their
globalization and trade policies are some of the root causes of trafficking.
Sex workers should be empowered to address abuses in our communities
rather than excluded through this administration's "anti-prostitution
loyalty oath." Sex workers are part of the solution!
• No
More Stings! Stop the Corruption! Stop the entrapment of prostitutes
and their customers.
Clients and prostitutes are entrapped in stings, then 'blackmailed'
by the District Attorney into attending stigmatizing, anti-prostitution
'reeducation seminars' (FOPP, First Offender Prostitution Program).
The fees are exorbitant ($1000), but those arrested or cited attend,
fearing exposure to their families, etc. But where has the money gone?
Why is there no compliance with the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance
or financial audits? Although the Public Defender also sponsors a
diversion program, why does the District Attorney enforce this monopoly
on an expensive diversion option for prostitution related cases? Stop
the corruption!
• Stop
The Repression! Sex Workers and Migrants: Victims of Anti-trafficking
Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women recently published a
report, Collateral Damage (www.gaatw.net), which explains how sex
workers and migrants around the world are being targeted by repressive
forces under the banner of anti-trafficking.
Fundamentalist feminists in the U.S. are lobbying congress to pass
increasingly restrictive and punitive legislation targeting voluntary
commercial sex. They propose a change in the definition of trafficking
to blur the distinctions between forced prostitution and voluntary
commercial sex. They propose expansion of the powers of the Department
of Justice to monitor the voluntary sex industries federalizing all
prostitution-related ‘crimes,’ which has even been rejected
by the DOJ. Stop the repression!
History
of March 3rd
The 3rd of March
is International Sex Worker Rights Day. The day originated in 2001
when over 25,000 sex workers gathered in India for a sex worker festival.
The organizers, Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, a Calcutta based
group whose membership consists of somewhere upwards of 50,000 sex
workers and members of their communities. Sex worker groups across
the world have subsequently celebrated 3 March as International Sex
Workers' Rights Day.
Durbar
Mahila Samanwaya Committee (2002): "We felt strongly
that that we should have a day what need to be observed by
the sex workers community globally. Keeping in view the large
mobilization of all types of global sexworkers [Female,Male,Transgender],
we proposed to observe 3rd March as THE SEX WORKERS RIGHTS
DAY.
Knowing
the usual response of international bodies and views of academicians
and intellectuals of the 1st world [many of them consider
that sex workers of third world are different from 1st world
and can’t take their decision] a call coming from a
third world country would be more appropriate at this juncture,
we believe. It will be a great pleasure to us if all of you
observe the day in your own countries too...We need your inspiration
and support to turn our dreams into reality.
Background:
DMSC
The founding members of DMSC had come together through their
active involvement as peer educators in a STD/HIV prevention
intervention program, widely known as the Sonagachi Project,
which has been running since 1992. Since then we have been
successfully networking among sex workers in India and some
other countries, particularly in South and South-East Asia,
to foreground the demands for promotion and protection of
our rights. Our political objectives are decriminalization
of adult prostitution, securing social recognition of sex
work as a valid profession and establishing sex workers right
to self-determination. We [brought] together 80000 or more
delegates for this seminal meet, the first of its kind in
this part of the world. Although our resources are limited,
our dreams are unbounded and our enthusiasm is high and commitment
unwavering. With your support, we are determined to make this
event a grand success. We believe ONLY RIGHTS CAN STOP THE
WRONGS.
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Additional
SWOP CHAPTER Events
| SWOP-LA
and WOMEN ALIVE WANT YOU to join us in the park for INTERNATIONAL
SEX WORKERS RIGHTS DAY, MARCH 3RD 2008
MEET
AT THE TENNIS COURTS OF LAFAYETTE PARK!625 S.LAFAYETTE PARK
PLACE, LA 90057OFF OF WILSHIRE BLVD, EAST OF VERMONT, NEAR/IN
KOREA TOWNFREE! FREE!
LOAD UP
ON FREE CONDOMS, LUBE, SAFE SEX SUPPLIES!MEET OTHER WHORES,
DOMMES, SLUTS, ALLIES, ADVOCATES, ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, AND
TALK WITH MEMBERS OF THE SEX WORKERS OUTREACH PROJECT (SWOP)!
LEARN ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS! ASK QUESTIONS!
T-shirts and hot drinks will be exchanged for donations to
the growth of the newest non profit in the HIV/AIDS game:
Sex Workers Outreach Project-LA.
March 3rd's mission: SWOP and Women Alive originally intended
for a day of celebration for Sex Workers Rights around the
globe, a movement that started in India when 25,000 sex workers
mobilized together to raise awareness on the violence and
lack of rights for sex workers. This movement is now celebrated
internationally. The Park and Recreation board has denied
our permit to screen PG rated documentaries based on the sex
workers movements in various countries, including Germany,
Mexico City, and India. Their reason: Only G rated movies
are allowed to be screened in public parks. However, their
website clearly lists screened movies that are rated PG-13.
Their "concern" was the local youth. They are obviously
hiding behind the fear of it's content, rather than the rating.
WE ARE STILL MEETING AT 5PM AND WE WILL STILL CELEBRATE SEX
WORKERS RIGHTS!!! MARCH 3RD INTERNATIONAL SEX WORKERS
RIGHTS DAY AT LAFAYETTE PARK!!
BRING YOUR DRUMS, CONGAS, BONGOS, BUCKETS, AND VOICES! DANCE
AND CELEBRATE OUR RIGHTS!! MEET AND TALK WITH MEMBERS OF SWOP!
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Celebrate
International Sex Worker Rights Day
with SWANK & SWOP-NYC
Monday
March 3rd, 7 to 9 pm
Dear friends of sex worker rights,
This year SWANK (Sex Worker Action of New York) & SWOP-NYC
will host a potluck dinner to celebrate International Sex
Worker Rights Day. This day reminds us that we are part
of a global community of people who refuse to accept the
discrimination against us and the criminalization of our
work, our means to survive.
When: Monday March 3, 7 to 9 pm
Where: Judson Church, 55 Washington Square South, NY, NY
10012 (Use Entrance on Thompson St)
Cost by donation for dinner: $3 to $15 depending on what
you can afford (no one turned away)
Food will include vegan and vegetarian options.
You may also bring food to share if you'd like!
Celebrate Sex Worker rights with... Fun activities! Craft
Projects! (Design a placard to demand sex worker rights).
Raffle! Win a prize... Conversations with activists for
sex worker revolution....
For more info contact: <mailto:swank@riseup.net>swank@riseup.net
For Announcement List, see our myspace: <http://www.myspace.com/weareswank>http://www.myspace.com/weareswank
What is International Sex Worker Rights Day?
The 3rd of March is International Sex Worker Rights Day.
The day originated in 2001 when over 25,000 sex workers
gathered in India for a sex worker festival. The organizers,
Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, a Calcutta based group
whose membership consists of somewhere upwards of 50,000
sex workers and members of their communities. Sex worker
groups across the world have subsequently celebrated 3 March
as International Sex Workers' Rights Day.
What else is there to celebrate?
We are also celebrating the formation of our two groups
SWANK (For Current & Former Sex Workers) and SWOP-NYC
(For Current & Former Sex Workers & Our Allies).
SWANK is Sex Workers' Action New York, a radical sex workers'
initiative based in NYC. [ <http://www.myspace.com/weareswank/>http://www.myspace.com/weareswank/
]
SWOP-NYC is a chapter of the Sex Workers Outreach Project.
[<http://www.swop-usa.org/>http://www.swop-usa.org/
]
This event is also supported by $pread Magazine and PONY
(Prostitutes of New York).
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SWOP-AZ
will be celebrating International Sex Workers Rights Day by
launching our campaign to revoke the mandatory minimum sentencing
laws for prostitution here in Arizona.
We have invited Caroline Isaacs from the American Friends
Service Committee to come speak to our group.
She is the woman who lead the "Stop Super Max" campaign
here in Tucson. (A campaign to stop the proposed building
of a new women's super max prison in Florence.
<http://afsc.org/>afsc.org
We are also having a fundraiser on March 9th to raise money
for the DA conference.
We are having a Bro's and Ho's day.
We will begin with a hot-n-sexy bike wash in the afternoon
followed by a wild and entertaining party that evening.
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Read other stories
about past International Days For Sex Worker Rights
DMSC:
Only Rights Can Stop The Wrongs
Old
Law a Curse on SA’s Sex Workers: SWEAT, South Africa
Report
from The Hindu, India National Newspaper
Ontario
Coalition Against Poverty
Call
to recognise rights of sex workers: The Hindu
Scoop
Independent News-South Africa
Terb.ca,
Escort Board, Toronto
Kolkata: Sex Workers Congregate at 'Unity Fair'
Cybersolidaires
(French)
SpeedTrust.org
Valerie
and Patricia of Sex Professionals of Canada www.spoc.ca |
Sex
Professionals of Canada www.spoc.ca
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Collective
of Sex Workers and Supporters, Taiwan www.coswas.org |
Scot
PEP www.scot-pep.org.uk |
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