In 2010, the Best Practices Policy Project joined with the Desiree Alliance to research and describe the state of sex workers’ rights in the United States to be included as one of only five US presentations to be part of the Sexual Rights Initiative reporting back to the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Universal Periodic Review.
This report found that sex workers in the United States, especially those from communities of color and low-income LGBT communities, are subject to police harassment, extortion and false arrest. Policing also undermines sex workers ability to protect their sexual health because condoms and other safe sex equipment are used as evidence against them. In some parts of the United States people detained for violating anti-prostitution laws are subjected to mandatory testing and face much more serious penalities if they are found to be HIV positive.
A significant rights violation is the placement of sex workers in some jurisdictions like New Orleans on “sex offender registry” lists that limits where they can live, work, and more. We at Women With A Vision are proud to be part of this important policy campaign.
Read the full report.