All non-essential workplaces have closed and people are being advised to stay indoors and to ‘social distance’ from each other. This is having a particular impact on the sex industry. Already sex workers are seeing a dramatic decrease in clients. Clients are staying away, hotels are closing or at least disallowing non-residents in, and university students are being evicted in swaths if they are in student housing, in order to keep people apart.
We in Ireland were already living under the Nordic Model, which meant a reduction in decent clients for sex workers. This pandemic will make it so much worse for sex workers.
We know from first-hand accounts that street workers, in particular, are feeling the sting of the efforts to curb COVID-19. Most of the street workers in Ireland are truly working at a survival level and this will not change under the current lockdown.
We ask you to give what you can to help precarious workers make it through. This money will go directly into the hands of sex workers through individual emergency payments. Any little helps.
Earlier this week we sent the following email to the caretaker Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and caretaker Minister for Health Simon Harris as well as other state departments. Sex workers who are experiencing financial difficulties, much like other precarious workers during these times, are being affected by Covid-19. We must be included in any plans for vulnerable populations and we cannot remain invisible to the state during this time.
We are writing on behalf of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) regarding measures and public awareness strategies to combat Covid-19. We wish to offer the full support of SWAI and to participate positively in all efforts to mitigate the impact of this health crisis.
There are currently thousands of people in Ireland involved in sex work-related activity involving considerable interpersonal contact. Examples include escorting, massage, stripping and sugaring. For some of the more vulnerable members of the sex working community their accommodation in hostels and homeless accommodation may increase their risk further.
The advice of the National Health Emergency Team to minimise social contact will inevitably reduce the levels of this work. However, it is inevitable that sex work-related activity will continue.
This situation will both very seriously impact the ability of sex workers, many of whom have dependents and family, to earn an income and continue to pose significant threats to the health and general wellbeing of both sex workers and their clients.
Openly addressing this health crisis is greatly complicated in the area of sex work by the fact, that while our work is deemed legal under 2017 legislation, our clients at the criminalised. Co-operation with health professionals, contact tracing measures, self-isolation, etc are seriously impeded by the provisions of this law.
To facilitate the fullest engagement by sex workers in the battle against Covid-19 we request the following:
1) Inclusion of SWAII in all communications and information regarding best practice and control measures related to Covid-19
2) Participation of SWAI in relevant sub-committees dealing with vulnerable and most-at-risk categories of individuals and communities
3) Confirmation that funding and welfare payment measures for the general community, including earlier sickness benefit and its extension to the self-employed, applies fully to sex workers.
4) Cessation of all garda raids on sex work-related activity for the duration of Covid-19, in particular for issues such as ‘brothel keeping’, which in most cases involves two or more people working together for health and safety.
5) Establishment of a specific SWAI /gardaí liaison arrangement to address the separate issue of trafficking during the period of Covid-10 measures.
6) Suspension of current stigmatising advertising campaigns such as ‘We don’t buy it’ during Covid-19, as the messaging in these campaigns drives sex workers and their clients further away from engagement with health professionals and necessary participation in mitigation and self-isolation requirements.
7) Inclusion of SWAI in the notification for any process related to small grants or payments to promote health and safety at local community level or vulnerable persons categories related to Covid-19.
We look forward to supporting the combined government and community based effort to successfully address Covid-19 and to hearing from you.
Kate McGrew, current sex worker and director of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) welcomes the news that arrests have been made following raids on suspected attackers. She said “We know that when sex workers and the Gardaí can work together we can make Ireland a safer place for everyone.
However, these arrests do little to assuage the fear and paranoia sex workers feel because of the law. These attacks are the direct consequence of a law that does not prioritise sex worker’s safety and instead focused on a vain attempt to end demand for sex work.”
She continued “Everyone wants sex workers to be safe but we need to be realistic about what the laws introduced in 2017 have actually accomplished. We have seen a 92% increase in violent crime against sex workers and a marked decrease in the probability of sex workers reporting a crime against them to the Gardaí. One client has been taken to court and many more workers have been prosecuted.
Forcing sex workers to work alone under the so-called brothel-keeping laws makes them a target for criminals such as these attackers. Driving sex workers to the margins by criminalising the purchase of sex or forcing them to break the law to work together in safety is detrimental to the safety of sex workers.
Gardaí resources are wasted on attempting to police consensual sex work. An Garda Siochana are already stretched thin. We want sex work decriminalised so sex workers are no longer afraid to engage with the police.”
The Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) advocate for all sex workers in Ireland, including cam workers. All aspects of cam work are legal but there is still shame and stigma attached to this type of work, and increasingly support from SWAI is sought around issues in this area. SWAI provide non-judgemental information to any sex worker in Ireland.
Many people enter this type of work because they lack supports. While social welfare remains low and rents remain high many young people will take up this type of work to make ends meet and because it allows them to work less for more money. This is ideal for students who already are strapped for time due to their studies.
We want OnlyFans and all cam workers to know that we are here for them and we ask them to get in contact at 085 824 9305. We will be hosting a drop-in in Dublin 6th where cam workers and sugar babies can meet each other, share knowledge, and get support.
There have been a number of knife attacks and robberies in the Dublin area over the last few days. The victims have mostly been Trans sex workers, but not all.
If you have any information about these attacks please contact Garda – Lucy Myles 086 828 2515 / [email protected] . These people need to be stopped! All contact with Lucy is safe and confidential. It does not matter what your immigration status is.
For information about the attacks and how to keep safe get in contact with SWAI Ph: 085 824 9305
SWAI is also holding a private emergency meeting for sex workers this Monday July 3rd in Dublin. For exact time and location details contact us on 085 824 9305 or email [email protected]
Please use www.uglymugs.ie Try not to see any new clients and work in pairs or groups if you can.
Español:
Hemos sido notificador de una serie de robos armados con cuchillos bastante serios y por las mismas personas en Dublin. En su mayoria, las personas atacadas fueron escorts transexuales brasileras, pero no unicamente. Estos ataques fueron violentos, y necesitamos tomar toda precaucion posible imediatamente.
Contacten nuestra Garda de referencia – Lucy Myles 086 828 2515/ [email protected] con cualquier informacion. Todo contacto con Lucy es seguro y confidencial. No importa cuál sea su situación migratoria.
Para obtener información sobre los ataques y cómo mantenerse seguro, póngase en contacto con SWAI Ph: 085 824 9305
SWAI esta organizandouna reunion de urgencia este lunes 3 de Julio en Dublin, por la direccion exacta contacto SWAI 085 824 9305 or email [email protected]
Por favor , use www.uglymugs.ieTrate de no ver a nuevos clientes y trabajar en parejas o grupos si puede.
Português:
Tem ocorrido muito recentemente em Dublin diversos ataques com o uso de faca seguidos de roubo. As mesmas pessoas tem realizado esses ataques principalmente contra TS/TV escorts brasileiras, mas não apenas. Os ataques tem sido violentos e nós precisamos ter muito cuidado.
Se tiver qualquer informação, contacte nossa contata policial Lucy Myles: 086 828 2515/ [email protected] Todo contato com a Lucy é seguro e confidencial. Não importa qual é o seu status de imigração.
Para obter informações sobre os ataques e sobre como manter contato com SWAI Ph: 085 824 9305
SWAI está organizando e reunião de emergência para sex workers esta segunda-feira, 3 de julho, em Dublin. Para o tempo exato e localização contato SWAI SWAI 085 824 9305 or email [email protected]
Por favor, use www.uglymugs.ie Tente não ver novos clientes e trabalhar em pares ou grupos se puder.
Earlier this week we sent the following email to the caretaker Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and caretaker Minister for Health Simon Harris as well as other state departments. Sex workers who are experiencing financial difficulties, much like other precarious workers during these times, are being affected by Covid-19. We must be included in any plans for vulnerable populations and we cannot remain invisible to the state during this time.
