December 17, 2004 Events Happening Around the Globe

Berkeley, California--SWOP USA hosts a panel discussion: Community Based Solutions to Ending Violence Against Sex Workers. 12noon-2pm at the Lutheran Church of the Cross 1744 University at McGee. Join city and county government officials, neighborhood groups, health care professionals, religious community leaders and the general public for a discussion on violence against sex workers and other regional prostitution issues.

Boston-- Calling all sex workers, prostitutes, sex worker service providers and allies! Join us 3-5pm at St. John's Church, 35 Bowdoin St. Beacon Hill, Boston to remember female, transgender and male sex workers we've lost to violence, hate and ignorance. Bring pictures, flowers, names, writing, songs...your voice! Come out to remember and to teach others how they can help you survive. We will build an altar of remembrance.

For more info call 781-891-0724 ext. 110 or email endviolence121704@yahoo.com.

Cambodia--Asian Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW) will stage an action in observance of the day. http://apnsw.org/apnsw.htm

Cape Town, South Africa--SWEAT (Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce) will be commemorating the day together with SISONKE, the sex worker-led movement by holding a candle light vigil on 17 December 2004 and reconfirming our struggle for legal protections of sex workers. In light of the 16 days of activism campaign on violence against women and children, we call on organisations to take up the issue of prevention of violence against sex workers. www.sweat.org.za

Cleveland, Ohio--6 pm Southeast corner of Public Square Downtown Cleveland.

Sex Worker Advocates of Tomorrow (SWAT) will host a vigil in remembrance and regard to the 2nd International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.

For information contact Vanessa at swat1east@yahoo.com. Check out the upcoming art show in Cleveland: Breaking the Silence Erotic Film & Art Benefit

Hamilton, ON Canada--Residents will hold a candlelight vigil on Friday, December 17th 2004, 4pm to 5pm . Meet at the parking lot on the corner of Barton Street and Birch.

Sponsored by the Barton Street Community Partners for Crime Prevention.

For more information call Tanya at 905-522-1148, ext. 301. tgulliver@sprc.hamilton.on.ca

Hong Kong-- 12/17 Morning Zi Teng sex workers concern group will protest police violence against sex workers. We demand an end to police harassment, violence, coercion of free sexual services and abuse of sex worker rights during undercover actions.

more info www.ziteng.org.hk or ziteng@hkstar.com

Huntsville, Alabama-- SWOP Alabama will host a candlelight vigil 6pm Big Spring Park bridge (across from Von Braun Civic Center). Contact Shelby @ 256-457-5012 for more info www.swop-usa.org/alabama.html

Manchester, England- 9pm-12midnight at the City Centre Beat in Manchester. Manchester Action on Street Health will be holding an event on our mobile health unit (time and location TBA). There will be a display around violence and we will distribute condoms, personal attack alarms and our leaflet, "Working Safely". There will be a nurse who specializes in sexual assault aboard. www.mash.org.uk Montreal, Quebec-- 5-7pm at the CCGLM, 2075 rue Plessis. The Coalition for the Rights of Sex Workers will be organizing an art installation entitled, "Peace at Work". Inspired by Empower's actions and the recent Mural Collective's beading project in Bangkok the installation will be a collage of all items, words and images that represent what we see as an ideal working space: a space free of violence and full dignity and safety. We invite all sex workers and sex work organizations to send words, items or images that represent your ideal working space to be included in the installation. Send them before December 15th, 2004 c/o La Coalition P.O. Box 686 Victoria Station Westmount, QC H3Z 2Y7 Canada more info @ 514-859-9009 or lacoalition2000@yahoo.com www.lacoalitionmontreal.com

New York City, New York--6 pm Sex Workers Honor Their Dead Memorial on Judson Church Steps, 55 Washington Square South

Sex workers and their advocates in New York will join others across the nation and around the world on Friday, December 17 to honor members of the worlds oldest profession who have been victims of violent crimes. Names of sex workers who have died will be read at 6pm from the steps of Judson Memorial Church at 55 Washington Square South. Participants in the New York memorial include strippers, streetwalkers, call girls, pro dommes, erotic writers and performers, phone sex operators, and others, of all genders and orientations, who are members of Prostitutes of New York (P.O.N.Y.) as well as representatives from the Urban Justice Center an advocacy group committed to finding innovative solutions to the problems of the poor and vulnerable, and the anti-censorship group Feminist For Free Expression (FFE). For further information: www.pony-ny.org. or call 212-713-5678.

Oakland, California--8:00am to 10:00am 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza downtown Oakland. Early morning vigil and protest in front of Oakland City Hall. The OPD has recently spent over $500,000 arresting prostitutes, but says it doesn't have time or money to chase burglars and car thieves. Help us stop the arrest of poor women and end violence and stigma against sex workers. Wear your angel's wings or a white outfit and meet in the plaza.

San Francisco, California--5:00pm to 8:00 pm Civic Center Plaza S.F. City Hall. Join SWOP, Coyote and Center for Sex and Culture for a fire vigil remembering the lives of the many sex workers who where murdered. Join us in solidarity and help raise awareness, lift hopes and help push for occupational rights and equal protection under the law for sex workers.

Washington D.C.--Join us to commemorate the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, sponsored by Different Avenues and HIPS 4-6pm at the Different Avenues Drop-In Center 821 Upshur St, NW, Suite B Washington, DC 20011.

We will have speakers, food, music and more. We are creating a safe, warm, caring space for sex workers to remember loss and celebrate life. www.differentavenues.org for more information.

Second Annual International Day 

to End Violence Against Sex Workers

On Friday December 17, 2004, sex worker rights organizations will be staging actions and vigils to raise awareness about violence that is commonly committed against sex workers. "The assault, battery, rape and murder of sex workers has got to end. The existing law prevents sex workers from reporting violence. This is allowing violent criminals to prowl our streets with impunity," said Robyn Few executive director the Sex Workers Outreach Project USA. "The stigma that is perpetuated by the law and prostitution prohibitionists has made violence against us acceptable. This has got to end. Please join in drawing attention to this around the world with the 2nd annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers".

"The sex industry makes a huge contribution, and is intrinsic to the economy of the Bay Area, but the laws and stigma punish participants and make it very difficult, if not impossible, to organize for rights and safety within our local sex industries. It's a blatant hypocrisy. We invite sex workers and all those in our communities, friends,families and supporters to join us to mourn our losses and celebrate our strengths on this day of empowerment."

Carol Leigh aka Scarlot Harlot--Founder COYOTE, Sex worker activist and performance artist.

By organizing with organized labor, espu can access safety from the violence that plagues our industry like other occupations have. Through unionizing we can gain the our right to work without the fear of being targeted by the violence that is perpetrated by the criminalization of our industry. Through our collective efforts we can put a stop to those unscrupulous individuals and institutions who have brought us harm. An Erotic Service Provider is anyone who is compensated for his or her erotic services. If you’re an Erotic Service Provider, come join us.

Maxine--Organizer, Erotic Service Providers Union

Thank you to all of you who are participating in the memorial to end violence against prostitutes, especially Robyn Few. This year I will be attending the New York City vigil. Last year the San Francisco vigil was absolutely positively moving. I had a really good cry, as the whole event was very meaningful for me personally-- as some of my old sex worker buddies had been murdered. I know that this event helps (future) sex workers be safer in the world. Blessed be.

Annie Sprinkle--Sex Worker turned sexologist

We are collaborating with workers and providers to have a town gathering to remember those we've lost. We are also drafting a declaration for Boston providers to sign, stating they will make their services accessible to sex workers both in what they provide and how they train staff to be knowledgeable of the needs of sex workers. We will all need to keep fighting to end discrimination and hate against sex workers!

Steven Crowe--P.U.M.P. Program Coordinator, Cambridge Cares About AIDS

Thank you Robyn!

Amy Winebarger--Case planner, Alternatives for Girls

Other Supporting Organizations and Individuals

• AIM 
• Alameda Co. Human Relations Committee 
• Alexandra Lutnick, MA 
• APNSW 
• Barton Street Community Partners for Crime Prevention 
• Berkeley NOW Task Force 
• Center for Sex and Culture 
• Coalition for the Rights of Sex Workers 
• COYOTE 
• Different Avenues 
• Erotic Service Providers Union 
• Feminist for Free Expression 
• HIPS 
• Justice Now 
• SWAT 
• SWEAT 
• St. James Infirmary 
• M.A.S.H. 
• P.O.N.Y. 
• Urban Justice Center 
• Women's Leadership Alliance