News Archive: May 2017

In order to improve working conditions of sex workers, the Amsterdam mayor opened a brothel that is supposed to be managed by sex workers. The new brothel, called My Red Light, occupies 14 “windows” across four buildings in Amsterdam’s red light district. About 40 sex workers will be able to operate out of the premises, which are being run by a foundation called My Red Light.

26 May 2017

NSWP shares The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF)’s deep concern about the Trump Administration’s proposed 1.08 billion cut to global HIV programmes. According to MSMGF’s statement here, “vital programming for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men around the world will be slashed if the President’s proposed budget released earlier this week is approved.” Cuts to funding will also impact other key populations including sex workers, transgender people, and people who use drugs. 

26 May 2017

The 19 May is the start of the bi-annual San Francisco Bay Area Sex Worker Film and Arts Fest (SWFAF) taking place across San Francisco and Oakland, California. SWFAF was started in 1999 by Carol Leigh, also known as Scarlot Harlot. She is a film maker, archivist and activist who coined the term 'sex work' during a conference in 1979 or 1980 as an alternative to the phrase 'Sex Use Industry'. She wanted to place emphasis on the agency of the provider rather than the customer, and the term has become broadly used across the globe.     

18 May 2017

Over 95 sex workers held a rally for International Sex Worker Rights Day in Shahbagh, Bangladesh on 3 March. Police tried to prevent them from going ahead with the rally, so sex workers rallied without banners and planned a route that was unknown to the police.

8 May 2017

In October 2016, Triple X and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DPLHS) collaborated to hold a convening in Toronto, Canada, bringing together 50 sex workers and health providers from all across the country to discuss concerns and share information regarding the use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) - a once daily pill that is prescribed to reduce the risk of HIV infection.

5 May 2017

The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women has published issue 8 of the Anti-Trafficking Review 'Where's the Evidence?'. This issue "explores the role of evidence, research and data in anti-trafficking work and how they influence our understanding of trafficking and responses to it. Seven thematic articles and four debates examine the evidence that is used - or rejected - in the formation of national anti-trafficking policies, as well as the role of monitoring and evaluation and statistics."

3 May 2017