Join us on Sunday, November 6th at 2:30pm at 405 W Superior St. for self care and socializing. A free yoga class will be provided by a certified instructor. Please RSVP to Mike@SWOP-Chicago.org so we can be sure to have enough refreshments for everyone.

SEX WORKER SUPPORT GROUP
Monthly on Tuesdays
6-7:30 pm
Upcoming dates:
November 1, December 6

This group meets at Lifeworks Psychotherapy Center in Skokie, at 8707 Skokie Blvd., Suite 310. Just east of the Edens Expressway and the Dempster Station on the CTA Yellow Line.

November’s Topic: What’s In A Name?

At our first support group meeting there was quite a bit of shuffling around about what name to use on the name tags. One participant said, “names are a big thing.”  So, what is in a name? What’s the big thing names are? Does your name represent who you are in the trade? Does it protect you from being outed in public and personal walks of life? Does it make you more appealing, mysterious? If you are hiding your identity, what is it you are hiding? Let’s discuss together.

We are excited to launch this new support group for individuals who identify as sex workers.  People in the sex trade often experience stigma, shame, guilt, isolation, and struggle to manage personal relationships. They may have conflicts within the industry, and difficulty with depression and/or anxiety. Support groups are a way to build community, share experiences and gain emotional support form others.

This group is co-sponsored by SWOP Chicago (Sex Worker Outreach Project) and is open to anyone who has previously or is currently working in the sex trade. (For the safety and protection of participants, this group is not open to consumers of sex industry services.)  The group will be facilitated by Rami Henrich, LCSW and Cindy Trawinski, Psy.D.

RSVP to www.meetup.com/Pleasure-Meetup

For more info, contact rami@lifeworkspsychotherapy.com or
call 847-568-1100. 

LifeWorks practice brochure — downloadable PDF

SWOP-Chicago is developing a sex worker support group in conjunction with Lifeworks Psychotherapy. We’re interested in getting feedback from sex workers on their interest in attending such a group, best days/times and locations. Please take 5 minutes and fill out this survey to better help us with development and scheduling for this group.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NJGTMJF

RSVP on Facebook here

SWOP-Chicago will be hosting a tax and money management workshop for industry workers on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 5-7pm. Learn how to manage your money properly, file taxes, information about the Affordable Care Act and how it affects your tax return.

Date: Saturday, February 6

Time: 5-7pm

Location: Read/Write Library

914 N. California, Walton Entrance

Chicago, Illinois 60622

Guidance will be provided by William Enmark, a CPA with an investment/finance background and over 17 years of experience as a tax professional, will lead an info-session on filing taxes as a freelancer, sole proprietor or independent contractor in the adult biz.

Money Management workshop will cover topics including:

* The benefits of filing taxes
* Tax deductions sex workers can claim
* Budgeting your income and managing your money for the year
* How to stay legal and who can help
* Dealing with a “cash-only” income and how much to set aside for taxes

*Saving for retirement

…and more!

SWOP’s Legal Clinic will be hosted this Monday, February 1 at Howard Area Community Center in Rogers Park.

Address: 7648 N. Paulina (near Howard Red Line stop)

Chicago, IL

Time: 6:00-8:00pm

The SWOP-Chicago CALA Clinic is a free, full-service legal clinic for individuals currently or previously involved in adult industries/sex work or impacted by the stigma and criminalization of sex work. It provides a wide-range of criminal and civil law services from advice and community legal education to representation.  All legal services, including full representation, are completely free of charge to clients.

Contact us via phone or email with questions or to request information or services. Or come to one of our clinic intake dates (details below!)

The SWOP Community Activism Law Clinic provides free legal services to:

*Individuals who have been profiled as sex workers or adult workers (by police, employers, landlords, or other entities)

*Individuals who are involved or who were formerly involved in sex work or adult work, including:

*working as an escort, dancing in a strip club, web-camming, sensual massage, engaging in fetish or pro-dom/pro-sub work, acting in adult film or nude modeling; and/or

*engaging in dating, relationships, sexual activities, or intimacy with someone for money, housing, gifts, drugs, or other things; and/or

*relying on someone you’re intimate with someone for money, housing, gifts, drugs, or other things.

*Individuals who have been homeless or have relied on crashing with friends for housing within the last 12 months.

Services Offered

• Criminal Defense
• Criminal Records: expungement, sealing, vacating convictions

• Family Law: divorce, child custody, child support, DCFS

• Housing: eviction, security deposits, vouchers

• Public Benefits: food stamps, medical card, SSI & SSD

• Employment: discrimination, overtime, minimum wage, unemployment benefits

• Police Misconduct

• Education: expulsions, special education

• Other areas of civil law

Who’s Eligible:

We can provide full legal representation for Illinois residents and individuals with cases/legal issues in Illinois.

We can provide phone consultation, legal education, do legal research around questions, and offer local referrals to community members around the United States.

SWOP-Chicago is honored to present this year’s International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers to celebrate & honor the lives of sex workers loved & lost.

Join us at the historic Jane Addams Hull-House Museum

Thursday, December 17th, 7:00pm-9:30pm for an evening of

Community
Candlelight Vigil
Speakers
Food
Music
Art
Honor
&
Love

Free, all ages, & everyone welcome.

Future 2015 Clinic Intake Times & Location:

Monday from 6-9PM on 12/21

at 3460 W. Lawrence Ave. Chicago, IL 60625 (Near Kimball Brown Line)