Prostitutes Alliance

Many groups work on issues related to sex work and prostitution. The Desiree Alliance is a national US group led by current and former sex workers. They work with allies to improve understanding of sexual labor. Similarly, the New Jersey Red Umbrella Alliance (NJRUA) advocates for sex workers’ human rights in New Jersey. They focus on promoting and defending those rights. Internationally, the European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA) supports sex workers across Europe and Central Asia. Their goal is to uphold human and labor rights. The African Sex Worker Alliance (ASWA) operates across Africa. It’s a Pan-African group committed to the rights of all sex workers. In Australia, Scarlet Alliance campaigns for the health, rights, and safety of sex workers.

Legal Frameworks and Debates

Legal approaches are heavily debated. Some groups, like the DecrimSexWorkCA Coalition, push to decriminalize sex work in California. They aim to build a majority-BIPOC, sex worker-led coalition. Others argue for different models. The debate often centers on the impact of laws. Criminalizing clients, for example, is seen by groups like ESWA as harmful to sex workers’ safety and rights. There’s also a focus on distinguishing between consensual sex work and trafficking. Groups like the Sex Worker Advocates Coalition (SWAC) argue sex workers need housing, not handcuffs.

Support Initiatives and Challenges

Survivor support is another key area. The International Christian Alliance on Prostitution (ICAP) unites groups offering support and change to individuals affected by prostitution and trafficking. The Alliance to End Human Trafficking focuses on ending slavery. Some survivor-led alliances advocate for specific legal changes, like the Equality Model. The English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP) campaigns for decriminalization in the UK and supports sex workers’ rights. High-profile incidents highlight these issues. Robert Kraft faced charges related to a prostitution scandal. Events like the Super Bowl often see increased concerns about sex trafficking and sex work. Selling sex via ads around such events is common. Research, like that from Imua Alliance in Hawai’i, tracks online ads and trafficking risks. Funding and stigma remain significant challenges. Organizations like the Red Umbrella Fund, the first global fund led by sex workers, support rights work. However, policies like the US requirement for groups to oppose prostitution to receive HIV funding create barriers. This was contested in Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society. Stigma and isolation are fought by groups like Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) through community building.

*TAGS* – sex worker decriminalization, trafficking risk research, Red Umbrella Fund