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Monthly sex worker tests are ridiculous, health experts say

Article by Julia Medew in The Age, May 31, 2011. Health Minister David Davis has backed down from a plan for Victorian sex workers to have fewer tests for sexually transmitted infections, prompting sharp criticism from public health experts who say the plan should go ahead. Last week, a Department of Health project officer told a health and sex work conference the government had approved a move from monthly to three-monthly tests for sex workers in the regulated industry from September. Legal sex workers applauded the move, saying monthly testing was unnecessary as they always used protection.But a spokeswoman for Mr

Call for Papers: Selling Sex in the City

The International Institute of Social History has issued a call for papers for the project, “Selling Sex in the City: Prostitution in World Cities, 1600 to the Present”. These will be discussed at a conference, which will take place in Amsterdam/The Hague, on 14-16 February 2013. The aim of this project is to write a global and comparative history of female prostitution from 1600 to the present. Notwithstanding the large number of national studies on particular aspects of prostitution (e.g. regulation, attitudes or labour market), no international comparison over a significant span of time has been attempted. This project attempts

PLRI website launched on International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

Welcome to the website of the Paulo Longo Research Initiative. We are launching the site on December 17, the Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers in support of sex worker organisations in dozens of countries who are demanding action to stop violence. This day is an opportunity to reflect on why quality research, linked to community action, is urgently needed to protect sex workers from violence and exploitation. We are a group of sex workers, academics and human rights advocates committed to producing knowledge that will improve the human rights, health and well being of women, men and transgenders

Sex Work is legal in Bangladesh

Brothel evictions last year sparked angry protests The Bangladeshi High Court has ruled that prostitution as a livelihood is not illegal. Lawyers say the judgement is highly unusual because it makes Bangladesh one of the few Islamic countries which do not ban prostitution. This judgement means that prostitutes in Bangladesh now have the legal authority to practise their trade. The judges made their comments as the court was ruling in a case brought by over 100 sex workers who have been in homes for vagrants since July last year, when two brothels on the outskirts of Dhaka were closed down

NEW! Update from Rwanda on proposed law reform

By Matthew Greenall, independent consultant According to reports, the new penal code currently being considered by Rwanda’s Senate includes a provision to criminalise sex work. The existing penal code, which dates from the 1970s, gives judicial authorities the option of placing restrictions on the movement of sex workers, and contains a number of provisions against facilitating or promoting sex work, running sex work establishments and living off the earnings of prostitution. The proposed new article would introduce jail terms and fines for sex workers themselves. The potential impact of changes to the law Although the existing legislation is far from

How do we quit sex work?

Some people want a world without prostitution and campaign for the criminalisation of our clients. I always argue that the criminalisation of our clients is not going to make us disappear but make our work more clandestine, more dangerous and potentially make us lose (part of) our income. In fact, this measure is counter-productive in particular for the most vulnerable sex workers, those who precisely would want the most to quit sex work. In my view, working in a prohibitionist context means more danger, less income, and therefore having to work more and in more exploitative conditions: which is actually the

PNG Cabinet endorses review on country’s sex laws

22OCTOBER 2010 PORT MORESBY (THE NATIONAL) —- Papua New Guinea (PNG) Cabinet has endorsed a review on existing laws governing prostitution and unnatural sex offences to be undertaken by the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission (CLRC). The policy submission, from Community Development Minister Dame Carol Kidu, went before the National Executive Council on 01 June. The council then directed Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Ano Pala to refer the criminal laws and other relevant matters to CLRC. The submission had sought approval to strengthen PNG’s response to HIV/AIDS and review criminal laws on the sex business and consensual homosexual practices

Sex Work is Decriminalised in Canada

Removal of criminal law removes the main barrier to sex workers achieving justice. It creates a space that can be filled by effective rights based policy and labour regulations and law. This is what happenned in the much touted example of New Zealand. But ‘decriminalisation’ is not a solution in itself, and it is not a solution if the gap it creates is filled with wrong policy and law. Good regulations and policy don’t automatically kick in when criminal laws are removed – even in rich and well governed countries, let alone where regulatory systems generally are not well organised. The process

SEX WORK IS LEGAL IN BANGALDESH

Police Assault Sex Workers and Get Caught Red Handed Taking Money from Sex Worker

A significant police backlash is being felt by sex workers around the country following human rights events for the International Sex Worker Rights Day on March 3rd. In Johannesburg, Sisonke Sex Worker Movement national co-ordinator Kholi Buthelezi had her hands full with sex workers calling her for help “the day after the march in Johannesburg I went from Germiston back to the city taking statements from sex workers who were harassed or arrested”. 27 Sex workers were arrested and released with a R300 fine in Germiston while in the City sex workers were harassed and one was assaulted. Ms Buthelezi

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