The 2012 International AIDS conference starts today in Washington, D.C. SWOP-Chicago board members self-funded travel to Washington, D.C. to advocate for policies that recognize the human rights of individuals involved in the Sex Trade around the world.
Our main goals is for conference delegates to ratify and recognize “A Call to Change U.S. Policy on Sex work and HIV.”
“A Call to Change U.S. Policy on Sex Work and HIV” is a demand for policy reform. The “Call” was written by U.S. sex workers of many income levels, ethnicities, and genders, and sex workers rights organizations, in solidarity with international sex workers, whose lives are deeply affected by U.S. policy. Organizations who contributed include BAYSWAN, Best Practices Policy Project, Desiree Alliance, Different Avenues, HIPS, Sex Workers Outreach Project (national, NYC and Chicago chapters), Sex Workers Project of the Urban Justice Center, St. James Infirmary and Women With A Vision.
As sex workers, allies of sex workers, and advocates fighting to end the global AIDS crisis, we call upon the United States to change policies that are damaging our communities. The call demands the United States:
- ensures that sex workers are not subjected to arrests, court proceedings, detention, mandatory testing or government-mandated “rehabilitation” programs
- repeals and eliminate restrictions on domestic and global AIDS funds
- supports evidence-based best practices for HIV prevention, treatment and care targeted at sex workers
- repeals the prostitution inadmissibility ground and support migrant sex workers
- institutes mechanisms that allow sex workers to find redress for human rights violations
- implements rigorous training of law enforcement officials on legal and human rights standards
- reorient anti-trafficking campaigns to be in line with the standards set by the United Nations
- engages sex workers in helping stop exploitation in the sex sector
- ensures that sex workers are not subjected to arrests, court proceedings, detention, mandatory testing or government-mandated “rehabilitation” programs read the call
sign the call
