Sex, work, and covid-19
The covid-19 pandemic affected everyone, but we know that very unevenly. In terms of work and income, women are being particularly affected, for example. The Brazilian Ministry of Economy listed here the most impacted economic sectors (at the top are artistic and creative activities).
There is a group, however, that has been disproportionately harmed but does not appear in official surveys: sex workers.
“It is a target audience with which the government is not at all concerned. Nobody talks about what to do with sex workers ”, says Irene Santos, coordinator of the Sex Workers Association from Sergipe.
Legally unassisted and socially stigmatized, sex workers do not have their profession recognized as work. “In most countries, the laws on the activity have the main objective of ending it, thereby making the life of those who exercise it more difficult and pushing women into a clandestine life and social isolation”, writes Monique Prada in her book Putafeminista. (You can also read Monique Prada here and here)
In Brazil, the draft bill 4.211/12 (known as Gabriela Leite Bill, in honor of the pioneer activist and founder of the NGO Davida and the Daspu brand), which regulates the activity of sex workers, is waiting in the Congress to be analyzed and approved. The project was written by the team of then deputy Jean Wyllys and by the Brazilian Network of Prostitutes, which was the only national organization to defend the rights of sex workers at the time.
Since 2002, prostitution has been on the list of Brazilian occupations. Recognized by the Ministry of Labor and Employment, the activity of sex workers is restricted to those over 18 years of age. According to the Brazilian Classification of Occupations (CBO), in the exercise of some of the activities, sex workers may be exposed to bad situations and social discrimination, in addition to the risk of contagion of sexually transmitted diseases, maltreatment, violence street and death. The Gabriela Leite Bill foresees the need for the right to special retirement, as it deals with work in special conditions — which harm health or physical integrity.
“It’s about regulating something that already exists, ending police extortion, among other things. With the law, a window will open for new employment relationships between sex workers and clubs, it will empower prostitutes ”, defends the activist Indianarae Siqueira in an interview with El Pais, which discussed some controversies and clashes between feminists on the subject.
The Global Network of Sex Work Projects — NSWP is reporting on the impact of COVID-19 on sex workers around the world. They are documenting and reporting to international policymakers about human rights violations, and putting pressure on national policymakers to ensure the needs of sex workers are not ignored in this pandemic. “The COVID-19 pandemic, as with other health crises, exposes existing inequalities and disproportionately affects people already criminalised, marginalised and living in financially precarious situations, often outside social protection mechanisms. As a result of the pandemic, sex workers all over the world are experiencing hardship, a total loss of income and increased discrimination and harassment.
In April 2020 the groups SOMOS — Communication, Health and Sexuality, MundoInvisível.Org and the National Articulation of Sex Workers released a warning note on the situation of sex workers in Brazil in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic:
“Historically vulnerable and without guaranteed labor rights, these professionals have seen their incomes drop dramatically, as well as other self-employed professionals, such as apps drivers, street vendors and professionals who make appointments. However, unlike other professional categories, there are no signs by the Federal Government of any type of assistance to this population and no information on the possibility of these professionals being included in the emergency aid provided until then”. Read the full note (in Portuguese) here.
+ We exist: reflections on sex work and covid-19 in Brazil, by Elisiane Pasini (read here in Portuguese).
+ “The conservative wave experienced by the country tends to hinder the progress of the debate,” said Ana Paula Silva, a professor at UFF and a member of the Observatory of Prostitution and a working group called Prostitution and Street Populations in the Face of Pandemics (read here in Portuguese).
Despite facing so many obstacles, sex workers are playing a leading role in responding to the pandemic crisis.
The Central of Sex Workers (CUTS) mobilized entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and volunteers in nine Brazilian states and in Europe, raising half a million Brazilian reais to ensure the support of hundreds of families. The central gathers nine associations and two collectives, which together organized webinars and lives, campaigns on social media, etc. Their main supporter was RedTraSex, Red de Mujeres Trabajadoras Sexuales de Latinoamérica y El Caribe.
In several Brazilian states, sex worker groups and organizations supported their communities with donations of food, hygiene materials and information. This is the case of the Association of Sex Professionals of Bahia, of Women from Luz in São Paulo and of Estrela Guia in Santa Catarina, for example.
+ In the Federal District, the Tulipas do Cerrado have prepared a booklet with information on protection, mental health and fake news for sex workers, and have also distributed food and masks to sex workers and homeless people.
+ In Belo Horizonte, Aprosmig joined Clã das Lobas and Coletivo Rebu in a campaign to “collect mattresses, furniture, appliances, non-perishable foods, fresh vegetables and products, cleaning and personal hygiene, masks, basic baskets, 70% gel alcohol and cash values”.
+ Anprosex — National Articulation of Sex Professionals has held livestreams on prevention, digital technologies, financial planning and mental health, for example. On February 26th they will hold the 1st ANPROSEX International Webinar — Empowerment and Boldness of Sex Workers, with activists from Brazil and other Latin American countries debating sex work and feminism, at 5 pm BRT on Youtube.
The strategic work developed by these professionals and their growing articulation shows that it is time to support them.
In Brazil, Fundo Brasil, Fundo ELAS and Fundo Positivo are examples of the few organizations that support sex workers from the perspective of rights, strengthening spaces for exchanges and articulation, political mobilization and (in) training on violence against women and health.
In 2012, the Red Umbrella Fund was launched, an innovative global grant-making mechanism for, and by, sex workers. The Red Umbrella Fund supports groups from all over the world, such as the Brazilian Associação Mulheres Guerreiras, from Campinas (SP):
“Our fight is to secure better working conditions for the occupational category that we represent: sex workers. We fight together for all the rights that we are entitled to have, just like any other category of workers.
Our strategy is to be present in and to use all existing spaces and vehicles to discuss public policies in the municipality, state and country. We want to make ourselves known to policymakers and try to participate in their decision-making. For example, various councils exist in our city, such as the Women’s Council, the Health Council. We very actively participate in these councils in order to make sure that when there is any kind of discussion that involves us we are always present to listen and to indicate what we want as a collective.
We are citizens just like any other person, and we are workers just like any other worker. We contribute to the economy of our city”, says Betania Santos.
+ The Sex Work Donor Collaborative — SWDC is a network of funders that have come together to increase the amount and quality of funding to support sex workers’ rights.
+ Check out the Counting Sex Workers In! campaign, which puts a spotlight on sex worker-led advocacy and highlights the voices and perspectives of sex workers of all genders in order to advance understanding that sex workers’ rights are a human rights and a feminist issue.
+ Also access the book “Guaicurus — A Voz das Putas”, organized by Aprosmig, which brings together texts by 12 sex workers “who write about the positive and negative of life”(here in Portuguese).
And if you still think that this issue is not about you, I share the epigraph of the book Putafeminista by Monique Prada, sex worker, feminist, writer and editor of the MundoInvisivel.ORG project. Monique opens her book with words from Argentine Dolores Juliano:
