Message of support from the English Collective of Prostitutes, London, UK to sex workers demonstrating in Paris, 2 June 2011 in response to threats to criminalise clients, for recognition and rights.  Organised by Collectif Droits et Prostitution.   Dear sisters and colleagues,   Together with the US PROStitutes Collective based in San Francico, we send our best wishes for today’s demonstration.  We are sorry not to be able to join you, but you have all our support.

Since the 1975 occupation of churches and strikes started by prostitute women in Lyon, sex workers in France have been a point of reference for our movement for decriminalisation and against violence.  Our organisation and others that followed around the world were named after the French Collective of Prostitutes.  Then as now, most sex workers are mothers struggling to survive and support their children.

In 1975, sex workers in France were protesting against the police arresting working women for loitering and soliciting while those who raped and murdered us were allowed to go free.  Today, we are still fighting that same battle, but most people are now with us. 

One of the reasons we couldn’t come is that we have been overwhelmed with fighting cases of women who are being prosecuted because they were working together for safety, for camaraderie and to keep their expenses down.  Some were arrested after reporting attacks against them. 

We are fighting to have the prosecution of one woman, ill with diabetes and brain cancer, dropped – people feel so strongly about this injustice that her Member of Parliament has received over 1000 letters in her support.  

For more than 10 years women in positions of authority who call themselves feminists have conducted a moral crusade against prostitution, claiming that all prostitution is violence against women and that all immigrant prostitutes are trafficked.  As a result police raids against sex workers on the street and indoors have escalated; we are being driven further underground and into more danger.

Despite this, there have been important victories.  In New Zealand, sex workers won decriminalisation eight years ago.  Sex workers are now able to come forward and report violence without fear of arrest, and up to four can work together collectively indoors without any kind of licence.  This is the model we want, not Sweden where the criminalisaton of clients has increased the stigma and the violence, particularly against immigrant sex workers.

Everywhere we are also fighting the cuts that are forcing increasing numbers of women, men and even children into prostitution.  We want benefits, decent wages and resources not to be forced into any job, whether it’s prostitution or slave jobs.   

There was a Slut Walk in Paris last month.  There’s a Slut Walk in London next week and we will be there with everyone opposed to rape and other violence, to exploitation and criminalisation.   Working together across national boundaries we will defeat our exploiters and persecutors.

Vive les travailleuses/rs sexuel/les en lutte !  Fin a la pénalisation et la misère!

English Collective of Prostitutes