Thank you to everyone participating in IDTEVASW. You are needed now more than ever. You are my s/heros and you will prevail.” Annie Sprinkle, Post Porn Modernist
The International Day To End Violence Against Sex Workers #IDTEVASW. December 17th - or 'D/17' for short - is all about community allied anti violence efforts! During the week of December 17th, sex worker communities and social justice organizations stage actions and vigils and work to raise awareness about violence that is commonly committed against sex workers. Art work Johnny Robinson.
CA SB233 would prohibit the arrest of individuals engaged in sex work when they come forward as a witness or a victim of specified violent and serious crimes. It will also end the practice of using condoms as evidence of sex work related offenses.
While you are listening, please remember that there are currently 11 unsolved murder, missing person, and suspicious death cases of sex workers in Anchorage. You can read more about that in this investigative post on the UnsilencedAK blog.
Data shows that FOSTA-SESTA has immediately exposed sex workers to heightened risks of violence and exploitation. According to a survey of 262 sex workers conducted by advocacy group COYOTE-RI, 60% of respondents have taken on less safe clients to make ends meet since the bills passed; 65% said someone had tried to threaten, exploit, or get freebies from them recently; and screening practices (i.e. steps taken to verify the identity or reputation of a client) dropped by 28%.[3] Many have been forced to find clients face-to-face, at locations that are not desirable for safety. Others were approached by guerilla pimps trying to coerce them into doing high-risk work.
We, as one global community renew our commitment to solidarity on December 17,” said Melanie Dante, former sex worker who was one of the organizers at the Philadelphia events this year. "December 17 Events aim to raise outrage at violence against sex workers and strengthen sex worker communities and responses to the systematic, daily violence and exclusion sex workers experience.”
A newly-released study [PDF] (via Sophie Cull) shows there's been a corresponding increase in female homicides since the point Craigslist dumped ERS. Online services -- enabled by Section 230 -- helped sex workers stay safe by reducing or eliminating a few of the more dangerous variables. Wed, Feb 6th 2019 9:32am — Tim Cushing for Tech Dirt
December 17is International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers. It was established as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer, Ridgewood. For more than two decades, in and around Seattle, WA ,the murders of women went undiscovered until Ridgewood was arrested in 2001. He pleaded guilty to killing 49 women, many of whom were sex workers, but likely killed more than 90 women. He received multiple life sentences.
