They are popping up, it seems a new one every week though that’s an exaggeration. Is it because hookers are the new black and people think via the lovely portrayal in the media that sex workers have money falling out of their asses and all the tress in our yards are money trees? That couldn’t be further from the truth, sex workers are hit just a hard in this economy as every one else. In fact we were hit first being big ticket items AND since the media likes to make it seem that sex work is not only easy ( its not) but its recession proof (its not) lots of people who have never taken their clothes off for money, fucked for cash, dominated for moola, cammed or did the sexy talk for greenbacks are trying to get in the business, so our piece of the pie got smaller and our gene pool got bigger.
So why are all these “sex worker” advocacy groups popping up and worse then that why are they all asking for money or shilling their own self serving needs? umm i dunno why, i only know its happening.
A couple of examples. Providers Voice and Hema Network
The Hemma network, who go by the name @hookernews on twitter recently made themselves known by trying to recruit “hookers” to cam for them. They too call themselves a “sex worker advocacy group” but seem to spend their time insulting escorts by saying they all have abusive clients, been abused, ripped off and beaten and should get out of the business they are in because its soooo dangerous and webcam for them and make them money instead of seeing clients face to face. They also spend their time dispersing questionable safe sex advice and arguing with long time advocates and sex workers who have spent years fighting for the sex worker rights about the definition of sex work. See to them “sex work” is ONLY hookers. Porn stars, strippers, cam girls, PSOs… not sex workers. The Hemma network clams to be a non profit but are not listed as a 501 (c) they then changed to labeling themselves a charitable organisation and claim articles of incorporation and that’s a possible i suppose but being incorporated doesn’t make you a not for profit business. Face it A T and T has articles of incorporation. When asked about their board of trustees they listed a bunch of first names. When they were called on their listed phone number they attempted to recruit they caller for web cam modeling.
In this business especially if you are an escort you have to be smart you have to vet and verify your clients and be aware that there are lots of unscrupulous people out there ready to take advantage of you. These two groups are very likely looking to make a fast buck off the back of sex workers and have wrapped themselves up in the flag of “sex workers rights and advocacy” to do so. I find that extremely distasteful and frankly dangerous if they are dispensing bad info which they both are. Be careful who you listen to, do not believe on face value that any new group that pops up knows anything that will keep you safe, healthy and free.
There are a lot of long time groups out there that have been working for years to protect the rights of sex workers, to help keep us safe. These are the organisations ( both big and small) you should be putting your faith in. If you want to get t involved contact them . Here in Los Angeles there’s a new director of SWOP LA Jessie Nicole, I met up with her a month or so back. She’s amazing and really looking to make a change and improve the lives of sex workers. You want good info? contact her. You want to help? contact her or any number of SWOP organisations they are all over the country. In Chicago there is Red Light District Chicago, you dont need to be in Chicago to help them out or contact them for help. You need ladies safety info? Join DangerZone. Read peer run forums if you need info about issues that pertain to PSO work or Stripping they are out there and not hard to find.
But most of all do your homework and vet anyone you would take work advice from or safety advice from. Vet them like you vet your clients. Hell, vet them HARDER much harder.
The two groups i singled out above have failed in being vetted they are not transparent, are misinformed and let their slips show pretty early. However i have a feeling they wont be they last. Like i said people think we are made of money that sine we are marginalized we are easily exploited. Which suppose at some level is true but not if we work smart, do our homework and put our screening and street smart skills to work for us and most importantly … look out for each other.
That’s the best way to stay safe, healthy and free
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jenny DeMilo and others. Jenny DeMilo said: New blog post up abut FAKE and disingenuous Sex worker "advocacy" groups and allys http://bit.ly/gSKycd Please pass it on! […]
Hi–I saw the post you left at FurryGirl’s feminisnt blog, and I followed you here because I find this an interesting issue. You’re claiming, if I understand you well, that the number of new associations and support groups and activism groups that are now appearing and claim to help and support sex workers are more of a nuisance than of a good thing, and that it would be better to go with the old, tried-and-true groups instead.
You may be right. But since one of the issues with sex workers is that of visibility — too many people only know sex workers from media stereotypes –, it seems to me these groups are at least making sex workers more visible. The trafficking-and-rescue industry wants to paint sex workers as victims without agency; the more organizations there are, grassroots or not, saying the opposite, the better it’s going to be in the long run, don’t you think? After all, if new groups are popping up here and there to claim and/or imply a positive vision of sex work, then it can’t be as bad as the anti-prostitution prohibitionists claim it is.
Hi Ashpe and welcome!
I dont mean to imply ALL new groups are bad groups out to make money and exploit sex workers. The two groups i specifically names in this piece however are.
New doesn’t mean bad, but new groups have to be vetted and they need to be transparent. So that sex workers can be safe in dealing with them. It would behove newer groups trying to start up and get involved to make themselves know to the existing groups and connect with them as well. That will not only help their legitimacy but also help them with gaining the trust of those they wish to make a difference to.
The groups I’m speaking about in this piece are self serving they want to make money, recruit for profit and put their own needs in front of their stated goal which is improving the lives of sex workers and sex work activism.
I dont see how a groups who pretend to be out help sex workers who in turn exploit them is helping anything and those groups should be called out and called out hard.
🙂
Jenny