Why You Should Care About the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

With tips on how to be a better ally.

On Saturday, December 17, sex workers and sex-positive allies united for International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.

Created by Dr. Annie Sprinkle the founder of Sex Workers Outreach Project USA in 2003, the purpose of this day is to “call attention to hate crimes committed against sex workers all over the globe.” It originally “was held as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle Washington.” Now, sex workers and allies worldwide gather to honor those lost.

According to the Sex Workers Project, sex workers have a “45% to 75% chance of experiencing sexual violence on the job.” Due to the fact that some forms of sex work are criminalized, sex workers are not able to report mistreatment and abuse to law enforcement. In fact, even when reporting sex workers face even more abuse at the hands of law officials who have notoriously abused them.

However, even sex workers gather to support each other, they’re further mistreated. For example at the Erotic Service Provider Legal Education and Research Project (ESPLERP) Zoom vigil for those lost via violence, hecklers “Zoom bombed,” the call “with men masturbating on screen, taking over presenters’ screens, and hacking and impersonating participants,” Uprise RI reported.

Clearly, the mistreatment of sex workers is far too normalized and common.

To learn how to advocate for our sex work peers, read this article on how to be an ally to sex workers.