The ‘prostitutes protection law’, passed 7 June by the German parliament, is a huge step backwards for sex workers rights.
Germany's parliament will likely pass new legislation today that severely infringes on sex worker rights and increases their vulnerability.
Laws criminalising prostitution have done incredible damage to sex workers over the years but they have never succeeded in ending the practice. For that reason alone they should be opposed. Español
Groups calling for the abolition of prostitution are not, despite what they might think, following in the best traditions of abolitionism. To merit the title they must strive for far more transformative reform.
South Korea introduced a raft of new laws against sex work in 2004. These repressive policies are now up for constitutional review due to the intense reaction by sex workers there.
Prostitution is rising along with poverty in Britain. To protect women both the criminalisation of sex work and austerity must be reversed.
Faced with regressive policies grounded in moral panics over sexual exploitation and trafficking, the Brazilian prostitutes’ movement has mobilised to ensure a seat for itself at the policy-making table. Español
Organising sex workers to protest injustice, create safe spaces, and support one another is a difficult job. One South African organisation shares its stories of success.
Sex work in Argentina is legal, but since 2011 the anti-trafficking agenda has increasingly threatened that status. This has led to new alliances and strategies of resistance among sex workers there. Español
Many Thai women become sex workers not because they are poor, but in order to escape poverty. In doing so they have become providers and heads of households, and they deserve respect for that accomplishment. Español
Sex workers in eastern Europe and central Asia resist their social exclusion and repression in many ways, but the political climate has so far prevented broad-based organising.
Sex workers in Italy banned together against abolitionist projects and managed to force support mechanisms for 'trafficking victims' into anti-trafficking legislation.
