International - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

International Day of Protest against the Violent Abuse and Murder of Sex Workers

international | gender and sexuality | event notice

Tuesday July 16, 2013 00:22

by Turing

International Day of Protest against the Violent Abuse and Murder of Sex Workers

Friday 19 July at 3:00pm

Swedish Consulate, 12 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2

ICRSE, the International Commitee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe is calling all its members organisations, individuals, sex workers and allies to stand together and protest the recent murders of Jasmine and Dora, the violent attack against Ela and against all sex workers in Europe and worldwide.

Jasmine was a Swedish sex worker who lost custody of her children to her violent and abusive ex-partner. Because of how she earned her income, his word was taken over hers - during several custody hearings, and again when she complained about his abuse. Last week, he murdered her.

Dora, a trans* sex worker in Turkey, was murdered this week. She was the 31st victim of violence against trans* sex workers in Turkey this year. As in Sweden, stigma and criminalisation foster a sense that some people are expendable, or easy targets, and that has real consequences in the lives of our friends and colleagues.

The Swedish model deliberately and knowingly fosters the stigma that led to Jasmine's death. Criminalisation and transphobia in Turkey and elsewhere take a deadly toll.