Commercial Sex Information Service: Sex Workers' Rights Groups

Listing last updated: June 29, 2009

RIGHTS GROUPS

International

Network of Sex Work Projects
(NSWP) consists of sex workers and organizations which provide services to sex workers in over 40 countries.(outside link)

StreetWalking the World Online Magazine — On-line news magazine for internet escorts. (outside link)

International Union of Sex Workers (IUSW) — Publishes a bulletin, Respect!. Mail for a subscription.
PO Box 27465
London, SW9 8WP

Sex Workers' International Media Watch (SWIMW): an international organization created for the purpose of observing and responding to the media whenever sex work issues are involved.

International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE): Organized the European Conference on Sex Work, Human Rights, Labour and Migration in Brussels 2005. A main goal of the ICRSE is to bring sex workers and their allies together on an international level. Registered foundation based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
ICRSE, PO Box 51319
1007 EH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 20 693 1300
Email: info@sexworkeurope.org
Web: sexworkeurope.org

International Committee for Prostitutes' Rights (ICPR) (Currently inactive.) The ICPR was responsible for pulling together the first World Whores Congress, and writing the World Charter for Prostitutes' Rights, in Amsterdam, February 1985.

$ex Workers Make History: 1985 & 1986 — The World Whores' Congress – Transcript of Gail Pheterson's and Margo St. James' presentation on the World Whores' Congresses at the European Conference on Sex Work, Brussels 2005. Includes lots of historical photos of the events, as well as the original World Charter Prostitute's Rights. pp. 21-30.
(1.1Mb PDF: SWRights-History.pdf)

Sex workers protest, Brussels, October 17, 2005
2^nd World Whores' Congress, Brussels, 1986
PHOTO: Courtesy Gail Pheterson

Sex Work Allies & Advocates (International)

Cybersolidaires: La Force des Femmes dans la Solidarité.

See Human Rights Groups on the Web at www.nswp.org For support dealing with migrant sex work issues…

Africa

Sex Worker Education & Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) — Located in Cape Town, SWEAT is the only sex worker organisation promoting health and human rights to sex workers in South Africa.
www.sweat.org.za

Sex Work Alliance of Nigeria (SWAN)
38 Awolowo Street
G.P.O. Box 592
Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
Tel/fax: 234-88-222637
Email: sexworknigeria@onebox.com

Asia

Taipei Union of Legal and Illegal Prostitutes for Self-help & the Taipei Alliance of Licensed Prostitutes (TALP): Taiwan

In the news: Dina Chan: Sex Workers Union of Toul Kork
Phnom Penh Post, April 17, 1999.

Zi Teng, Hong Kong: Zi Teng is a non-governmental organization formed by people of different working experiences. They are social workers, labor activists, researchers specializing in women studies and church workers etc. who care and concern about the interest and basic rights of women.

Empower Foundation Thailand (Moolniti Songserm Okard Pooying) (Outside link)
Empower Foundation's former name (since 1985); Soon Pitak Sitti Ying Borikarn means Center for Protection of Rights of Woman in Entertainment Sector. However, the foundation was not allowed to Register by its original name, The Office of the National Cultural Commission suggested that The meaning ( of the name ) is not appropriate. Present name (in Thai) of EMPOWER Foundation , since 1994 is Moolniti Songserm Okard Pooying means Foundation to Promote Opportunity for Woman.
Web: www.empowerfoundation.org

Australia

Scarlet Alliance (outside link)
Full list of Scarlet Alliance members

South Australian Sex Industry Network (outside link) located in Adelaide. SIN is run by sex workers for sex workers and provides information, referral and support on legal, health, HIV and STD prevention, financial and employment issues. SIN and friends are also pressuring for progressive prostitution law reform in South Australia which at present has some of the most repressive laws in the whole of Australia.

Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) (outside link) Provides information and support for all workers in the sex industry; female, male or transgender, in New South Wales, Australia.

Prostitutes Collective of Victoria (PCV): (Now called Rhed) Australia

Red Light Radio: 5UV (531 AM)
Monday nights 10 to 11 pm. A weekly radio show run by sex industry professionals. Produced by PJ Rose and the Red Light Collective. A Project of SIN and PASA.

Sex Work Allies & Advocates (Australia)

Phoenix, which is a government funded project of FPWAÊgiving support and peer based education to the sex industry in WA.
Workers In Sex Employment (WISE): Peer education and support to sex workers and their clients, ACT, Australia.

Canada

Sex worker groups

La Coalition pour les Droites des Travailleuses et Travailleurs du Sexe (Coalition for the Rights of Sex Workers). Sex workers group in Montréal. Lobbies for the legal recognition of sex work.
Montréal, Québec
Tel: +1 (514) 844-3207 ext. 3
Web: www.trsx.org

Canadian Organization for the Rights of Prostitutes (CORP) was founded in 1983 in Toronto, when Peggie Miller hooked up with a people who organizing against the bawdy house laws following the Toronto gay bathhouse raids. Peggie had been busted for keeping a common bawdy house when she unwittingly picked up a cop from the stroll and took him back to her place. She pleaded "not guilty" but lost in court. Original CORP members included Peggie Miller, Chris Bearchell, Gwendolyn and Danny Cockerline.

Exotic Dancers Alliance in Canada. (outside link) Publishes The Naked Truth — "an information resource for the exotic dancers' community."

London Alliance to Support Sex Trade (LASST)
London, Ontario
Email: sbollman@home.com

Maggie's, the Toronto Prostitutes' Community Service Project — Peggie Miller of CORP also realized that the difficulties sex workers endure because the trade is illegal get in the way of sex workers getting organized. That's where the idea for the resource centre and self-help project, Maggie's, came from. Peggie persuaded Chris Bearchell to help recruit the first board, which began meeting September 5, 1986. Maggie's adopted the Prostitutes Safe Sex Project, CORP's AIDS education project founded by Danny Cockerline.

Stella: Vivre et travailler en sécurité et avec dignité. Health and legal resource centre for sex workers Montreal. Sex workers are on the board and staff. Publishes ConStellation newsletter by and for sex workers.
Web: www.chezstella.org

The Sex Workers' Alliance of Halifax (SWAH) Founded in 1995 by Irene Grenkow.

The Sex Workers' Alliance of Niagara (SWAN) Founded in 1997 by Linda Cormier.

The Sex Workers' Alliance of Toronto (SWAT) was founded April 6, 1992 by eight people who got together and discussed the current events that effected their work places, and brainstormed ideas on how to improve the situation. After a long meeting they planned another four meetings and put out a call for members.

The Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver (SWAV) was founded in 1994 in response to a "Shame the Johns" campaign in the Mount Pleasant neighbourthood. SWAV aims to fight for sex workers' rights to fair wages and working conditions that are safe, clean and healthy.

Sex Work Allies & Advocates (Canada)

Parti Populaire des Putes (PPP) A Montreal prostitutes' rights group (Coalition pour les droits des travailleuses et travailleurs du sexe) is forming a federal political party to advance its cause.
Tel: +1 (514) 285-1599

Coalition to Decriminalize Adult Prostitution. A coalition of street agencies and service organizations, researchers and some prostitutes. With Quebec Public Interest Research Group the coalition sponsored a Conference, When Sex Works, in September, 1996.

Central America

Sex worker groups

Red de Trabajadoras Sexuales de Latinoamerica y el Caribe: Encuentro de fortalecimiento y planificación estrategica de la Red de Trabajador@s Sexuales de Latinoamerica y el Caribe.

Miluska Vide y dignidad — Asociació de Trabajadoras Sexuales, Lima, Perú.

La lista electrónica 'Industria del Sexo'
La lista electrónica 'Industria del Sexo' va dirigida a personas que ya tienen algún trabajo relacionado con la industria, como trabajadores sexuales, investigadores, médicos, educadores de calle, personal de ONG y de gobiernos o miembros de asociaciones de migrantes. Est´ conceptualizada para conversaciones pr´cticas, para compartir informaciones, contactos, t´cticas y dudas pero no para discutir ideologías. Se escribe en cualquier idioma romance (castellano, italiano, portugués etc).
Si tienes interés en participar, contacta a Laura Agustín: laura@nodo50.org

PHOTO: Alain Nogues-Sygma

A church in Lyon is the site of a sit-in. Prostitutes, protesting laws under which they were repeatedly jailed, fined and taxed, staged similar protests in other cities throughout France in 1975.
Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia 1976 Yearbook. Leon L. Bram, Vice President and Editorial Director. Albert Bennett, Ed. Copyright © Funk & Wagnalls, Inc., New York 1976. p. 166.

Europe

Sex worker groups

Aspasie: Geneva Pour toutes les personnes prostituées ou concernées par la prostitution. (Outside link.)

Cabiria, France: Action Santé Communautaire avec les Personnes Prostituées.

Hydra, Germany: Since 1980, prostitutes and non-prositutes have been working together in this project. The main aim is to put an end to the social and legal discrimination of prostitutes and to get prostitution recognized as a profession. (Outside link.)
Madonna eV, Germany: Beratung und Hilfe für Prostituierte. (Outside link.)

Maiz, Austria: Autonomes Integrationszentrum von & für Migrantinnen (Outside link.)

The Red Thread, The Netherlands: Werk je in de prostitutie of heb je dat gedaan? Dan ben je hier op het juiste adres: De Rode Draad is een landelijke organisatie die de belangen van (ex)- prostituees behartigt.

Sex Work Allies & Advocates (Europe)

UK Network of Sex Work Projects (UKNSWP)— A non-profit, voluntary association of agencies and individuals working with sex workers (Outside link.)

European Network Male Prostitution: Amsterdam HIV and STI prevention, focusing on male sex workers, carried out in participating countries. (Outside link.)

Mr A de Graaf Stichting— Institute for Prostitution Issues: Research, policy, advice, documentation and public information. (Outside link.)

Prostitution Information Centre (PIC), Amsterdam: Established in 1994 by the ex prostitute Mariska Majoor. (Outside link.)

Europap— European Network for HIV/STD Prevention in Prostitution: Promoting the health and well-being of sex workers across Europe by advocating respect and rights for all sex workers; supporting high quality accessible health care; lobbying for legal change. (Outside link.)

European Prostitution Report: An initial series of conclusions and recommendations concern laws, regulations and their enforcement. Secondly, HIV-prevention and health and social services are discussed. (Outside link.)

TAMPEP — Transnational AIDS/STD Prevention Among Migrant Prostitutes in Europe Project: Started in 1993, carrying out work in four European countries: the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Austria. It is a model of intervention, reaching more than 20 different nationalities of women and transgender people from Central and Eastern Europe, South East Asia, Africa and Latin America. (Outside link.)

MAMA CASH — Strives for a peaceful and just world where women are free to make their own choices. Mama Cash financially supports women's groups that blaze the trails with self-initiated projects. (Outside link.)

India

Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC): A forum exclusively of sex workers and their children. In July 1995, a group of sex workers from Sonagachi, one of the oldest and largest red-light areas of Calcutta, had set up DMSC to create solidarity and collective strength among a larger community of sex workers.

www.firmkerala.org

Prostitutes at Tanbazar brothel in the town of Narayanganj in Bangladesh -- near the capital, Dhaka -- chant while protesting a move to evict them yesterday. About 3,500 Bangladeshi prostitutes dug in their heels and defied eviction from one of the country's oldest and largest brothels.
PHOTO: Rafiqur Rahman/Reuters

Prostitutes at Tanbazar brothel in the town of Narayanganj in Bangladesh — near the capital, Dhaka — chant while protesting a move to evict them yesterday. About 3,500 Bangladeshi prostitutes dug in their heels and defied eviction from one of the country's oldest and largest brothels.
National Post, Monday, July 12, 1999, p. A13.

New Zealand

New Zealand Prostitutes Collective (NZPC): An organisation of current and past sex industry workers that seeks an environment that supports the rights of sex industry workers. NZPC lobbies for the repeal of prostitution laws in accordance with the models of decriminalisation.

United States

Sex Workers Groups

Blackstockings: A sex workers' activism group in Seattle. Publishes a newsletter, runs a support/discussion group for sex worker women, and collates and disseminates information about local resources. (Outside link.)

Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics (COYOTE) with chapters in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston. COYOTE was founded by Margo St. James in 1973 to work for the repeal of the prostitution laws and an end to the stigma associated with sexual work.

Hooking Is Real Employment (HIRE) in Atlanta, Georgia founded by Dolores French (author of Working).

Prostitutes' Education Network (PENet): a website based in San Francisco. (Outside link.)

Prostitutes Of New York (PONY) is a support and advocacy group for all people in the sex industry. We welcome all current or former sex workers, including male, female or TS/TV prostitutes, erotic dancers, nude models, X-rated actors, peep show performers, phone sex workers, S&M/B&D professionals, strippers, madams, and so on.

Hook Online: Non-Profit Project For Men in the Sex Industry. (Outside link.)

Exotic Dancer's Alliance, San Francisco: Because everyone deserves fair working conditions, even Live! Nude! Girls! (Outside link.)

Danzine: A Portland-based non-profit created by and for sex workers and those who love us (don't we all?). We share the resources we need to make informed personal and professional decisions. (Outside link.)

Meretrix Online: Sex work activism and erotic writing for discerning adults. (Outside link.)

Sex Workers Outreach Project USA — Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) focuses on safety, dignity, diversity and the changing needs of sex industry workers, to foster an environment which enables and affirms individual choices and occupational rights. (Outside link.)

EscortSupport.com: Sex worker magazine meets Family Circle and Vanity Fair,ä explains Ms. Lisa, creator and publisher of Escortsupport.com. "Sex worker veterans, like Annie Sprinkle, really dig the concept and have contributed content. The support from everyone has been amazing." (Outside link.)

Sex Workers Project — Mission is to advocate for sex workers, former sex workers, and those who are profiled or at risk for engaging in sex work, including victims of human trafficking, within a context of harm reduction and human rights. (Outside link.)

The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition (NTAC): (Outside link.)

Sex Work Allies & Advocates (U.S.)

North American Task Force on Prostitution (NTFP) coordinated by researcher and prostitutes' rights advocate Priscilla Alexander in New York. Founded in 1979 to act as an umbrella organization for prostitutes and prostitutes' rights organizations in different parts of the United States. In 1994, its scope was expanded to include other organizations and individuals who support the rights of prostitutes and other sex workers.

St. James Infirmary: We offer free, confidential, nonjudgmental medical and social services for female, transgendered, and male sex workers.Ê We are the first occupational safety and health clinic for sex workers anywhere run by and for sex workers! (Outside link.)

Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive (HIPS): The HIPS organization is designed to end the cycle of abuse of sex workers on the streets, to work with them to improve their lives, and to give them tools to pursue a self-determined, independent, and productive way of living. (Outside link.)

Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation: Health for the sex worker in mind, body, emotion and spirit! (Outside link.)

Sex Laws: A guide to U.S. and international laws. Nothing found in this site should be taken as legal advice. If you want legal advice, find a lawyer. The law books contain much more detail than has been included in this site. Many cross references and important judicial decisions noted in the books clarify the meaning of each law. (Outside link.)

Men's Guide to Escort Services: There are a lot of things they don't teach you in school, and one of them is how to use an escort service. Somehow society seems to think that men should just know how to do this. (Outside link.)

Whore Activist Network (WAN):

Created: March 9, 1996
Last modified: June 29, 2009

Commercial Sex Information Service
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