Organisations join forces against stigma on sex work
No fewer than 22 sex worker organisations, care institutions, social organisations, municipalities and other like-minded people are joining forces. Today, on the International Day of the Sex Worker, they are launching the Sex Work Alliance Destigmatization (SWAD). The SWAD is committed to combating stigma on sex work.
Stigma has serious consequences for the position of sex workers
Sex workers are often seen as victims, rather than people with a profession. This is because policymakers pay particular attention to the link between sex work and human trafficking. This leads to a one-sided approach and stigmatization of anyone who offers paid sexual service. That stigma is then the basis of increasing regulations that actually worsen the position of sex workers; it leads to reduced access for sex workers to care and the police; exclusion of essential services such as mortgages or bank accounts; negative treatment by family, friends or third parties; psychological complaints due to internalized stigma and to more violence.
SWAD
SWAD is an alliance of 22 initiatives and organizations working together to reduce the stigma on sex work: an exceptional collaboration. The alliance consists of sex worker organisations, care and social work initiatives from the 4 major cities (G4) and the municipality of Tilburg, and human rights and health organizations. All these organizations have been working on the subject for quite some time and hope to share and deploy their expertise through this alliance. Together they focus on increasing awareness of (government) agencies, a nuanced image, an adequate sex work policy and a strong sex work community. The alliance receives financial support from, among others, the Ministry of Justice and Security.
P&G292
P&G292, part of HVO-Querido, contributes to the goal by developing and providing training to (government) institutions for sex workers, such as tax authorities, lawyers and banks. In addition, P&G292 is setting up a municipal prostitution platform in Amsterdam together with the Prostitution Information Center (PIC) and imaging workshops can be given upon invitation.
Alliance
- Aidsfonds – Soa Aids Nederland
- Trans United Europe
- Transgender Netwerk Nederland
- Belle/de Tussenvoorziening
- Door2Door/Humanitas
- Gemeente Tilburg
- GGD Flevoland
- Liberty the Hague
- Onder Mijn Rode Paraplu
- P&G292
- Prostitutie Maatschappelijk werk – Hart van Brabant
- PROUD
- Prostitutie Informatie Centrum
- Pure Nature
- Queer.Red present Whorehouse Cinema
- RedInsight.org
- ReImagining Sex Work
- S.A.V.E
- Seks Works
- SHOP Den Haag
- SWARP
- SWexpertise