Support Safety: Oppose Bill SB 1204 that criminalizes sex workers associating with each other or with supporters for safety, information and support.
Why Sex Workers are Fighting the Anti-Sex Trafficking Bill
Guest post by collaborators: M. Dante, Lola Li, and Heather Berg. On March 12th, the Senate votes on SESTA, the Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act. SESTA would criminalize the online advertising, information sharing, and support networks that sex workers use to do their jobs safely. Readers can support the #LetUsSurvive campaign by calling their Senators. WE ARE: #SurvivorsAgainstSESTA
3/12 EMPOWER Collective Visiting Philadelphia
3/12/2018: EMPOWER Thailand in Philly: MORNING - U Penn event Mon March 12 from 8-9am sponsored by the Nursing school, with co-sponsorship from School of Social Policy and Practice thanks to Dorothy Roberts and TJ Ghose. EVENING - Crossroads Women's Center Mon March 12 at 6pm
Stop SESTA/FOSTA
Hybrid FOSTA/SESTA Hinders Law Enforcement, Hurts Victims and Speakers | Center for Democracy & Technology
2018 Women’s March Rhode Island Includes Sex Workers
2018Women March Rhode Island Includes Sex Workers. COYOTE had a 60 people sign up for our email list, and over 100 people stopped at our table. Bella shared that, "We had strippers from Westerly, and we had students from 3 universities and several communities members asking how they can volunteer with Coyote RI. Most importantly we got to educate our community and explain how Uncle Sam is the biggest pimp in the USA."
Re/Visiting The Invisible John Interview About Jane
The Invisible John Interview About Jane ORIGINAL POST ON SWOP PHL SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 Journalists ask the darndest questions then don’t publish the answers sex workers give them or purposely don’t share all viewpoints if the views don’t fit in with the desired angle of an expose. So – we’ve decided to publish an unpublished and unquoted requested dialog by a journalist who interviewed SWOP Philly’s M. Dante.
Hit & Run: Homeland Security Raid Eros
"That [Homeland Security raid] is going to expose a whole bunch of innocent people," Maxine Doogan, president of the Erotic Service Providers Legal, Education, and Research Project told Raleigh-Durham's ABC 11. "There's a big question about how the government will honor people's privacy. People have the right to their privacy and they should not be convicted or set up for moral judgment for adult activity."
E v G 9 Covered On Fox News
The legal challenge was brought by three ex-prostitutes, a would-be client, and ESPLER (Erotic Service Providers Legal, Educational and Research Project). They received good news Thursday after the 9th Circuit judges hinted that some scrutiny of the law was needed. “Why should it be illegal to sell something that it’s legal to give away?” asked, as the Chronicle reported. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White rejected the challenge last year, saying the 2003 Supreme Court ruling was concerning intimate personal relationship and did not apply to commercial sex, adding that California justified the law against prostitution as a deterrence to violence against women, sexually transmitted diseases and human trafficking, according to the Chronicle.
M Dante: I Support ESPLERP v Gascon
M. Dante explains why she supports ESPLERP v Gascon.
E v G In The 9th Circuit
After nearly 30 months working through the US Federal Court system, we finally get to stand up before a panel of judges and argue that California Penal Code 647(b) unfairly deprives consenting adults of the right to private activity, criminalizes the discussion of such activity, and unconstitutionally places prohibitions on our rights to freely associate.
Oral Arguments Set Before US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Constitutional Challenge to California’s Prostitution Law
Date for Oral Arguments Set Before the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Constitutional Challenge to California’s Prostitution Law. Sex workers argue prostitution laws infringe on adults’ constitutional right to private consensual activity. Contact: Maxine Doogan 415-265-3302, info@esplerp.org
AK Ordinance 84
Stop Prosecuting Prostitutes For Reporting Violent Crimes
Open Democracy: On Why Sex Workers Should Be Involved In Anti-Trafficking Efforts
Wendelijn Vollbehr is a sociology graduate of the VU University of Amsterdam. For her masterthesis she conducted qualitative research on sex worker-led organizations in collaboration with the Red Umbrella Fund. Her research interests are human rights, especially minority rights, marginalization and empowerment.
SWOP Behind Bars | Community for Incarcerated Sex Workers
“At SWOP Behind Bars (SBB), along with COYOTEri and ESPU-Philly, we know these are not easy situations to understand and to determine the right and wrong of — “, offers M. Dante, who believes: “Protecting our youth from punitive abuse is as essential as protecting them from predators.”
SWOP Behind Bars Will Be At “Beyond The Walls”
Through panels, presentations, and interactive workshops, the Summit explores innovative approaches to the health and reentry challenges facing our communities, brings relevant policy issues to the forefront, and provides attendees with the opportunity to become involved in local and national advocacy work. With a focus on community led responses to the crisis in the criminal justice system, workshops reflect the needs of prisoners and former prisoners and will highlight the work being done to improve conditions inside the prison walls and in the communities to which prisoners are returning. Registration Required for 6/28/2017
The ESPLER Project Summer Happenings
Status of ESPLERP v Gascon: ORAL ARGUMENTS scheduled for OCTOBER in CALI FEDERAL COURT We would not be this far along without you! Date TBD. Administration:We are registered with the California State Attorney General’s Charitable Registry. Ironic, I know! Folsom Street:We are honored to be selected as a supporting beneficiary by Folsom Street Events for 2017. We … Continue reading The ESPLER Project Summer Happenings
Meet Larry Krasner: Civil Rights Attorney, Death Penalty Opponent & Democratic Philly DA Candidate | Democracy Now!
Will a defense attorney with a long record of standing up to prosecutors and police soon head one of the nation’s busiest district attorney offices? Amy Goodman Interviews Larry Krasner on Democracy NOW!
Even Your Healthy Blood Is Not Welcome When You Are A Whore
The BLOOD DONATION BAN originally installed to prevent HIV, Hepatitis or Syphilis contamination, the vernacular is still intact, though usually considered relative only to “men who have had sex with men” (MSM). However, there is also selective prohibition with respect to anyone who has sex in exchange for money, drugs or other barter since 1977. This is to filter out intravenous drug users, and other high risk candidates who potentially carry communicable disease. Is that you?
Global Women’s Strike Endorse Krasner for Philadelphia District Attorney
Krasner for DA Endorsement Issued by Global Women's Strike and Women of Color GWS, with Payday men's network, Erotic Services Providers Union (ESPU), and mothers of prisoners & human rights campaigners.
ESPU Endorses Krasner for DA
"Erotic Service Providers Union (ESPU) Endorses Krasner for District Attorney As We Fight Towards Gaining Support Against Poverty, Violence and Punitive Abuses."
PEPFAR 2015 – 2017
PEPFAR is the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. PEPFAR is the aparatus for U.S. funding for global HIV prevention, treatment and care, and disburses ~5-6 Billion USD in global funding annually. In 2003, PEPFAR added an “Anti-prostitution Loyalty Oath” to grantee contracts. The devastating effects of the anti-prostitution oath annihilated agencies that depended on the funding to sustain their operations, and more importantly, excluded vulnerable populations in need. 2017: The oath continues to harm the global fight against HIV and AIDS. U.S. sex worker rights organizations collectively and vehemently oppose the current restrictions. Allied in S/W via SWOP Communication - We recommend the US remove anti prostitution language, and support strategies accepted as best practice in anti-trafficking, women’s development, gender equality, and HIV prevention work.
Krasner 4 Philly DA: Party Justice!
Justice Makes Us Safer. "I believe we need to fundamentally change the current culture within the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. More of the same won’t achieve real justice for victims and other people caught up in our city's criminal justice system.” — Lawrence Krasner
ESPLERP v. Gascon: The Legal Challenge
"[ESPLERP v Gascon] is about LIBERTY. It is about the right to be let alone, about controlling one's own destiny, and about limiting the role of the state in certain spheres of our lives."
Crossroads Benefit Concert for Int’l Women’s Day at Underground Arts
On International Women's Day the Global Women's Strike held a benefit concert at Underground Arts for the new Crossroads Women's Center in Germantown. Civil Rights attorney Larry Krasner spoke on why he is running for Philly DA.
Alaska Action Alert: Help Pass HB 112!
The Community United for Safety and Protection commends Alaska Representative Matt Claman for sponsoring House Bill 112, expanding Alaska’s current sexual assault statute to prohibit police officers from sexually penetrating or having sexual contact with those they are investigating. Currently, it is only illegal for police to sexually penetrate those who are in their custody.
