Women's network for Unity, Cambodia, protests USAID policy. Photo: Mariko Passion

A Call to Change U.S. Policy on Sex Work and HIV was launched in July 2012, prior to the International AIDS Conference which took place in Washington D.C. We continue this campaign to add signatories and to educate the public about harmful policies which impede effective HIV services and put sex workers at greater risk. As sex workers, allies of sex workers, and advocates fighting to end the global AIDS crisis, we call upon the United States to change policies that are damaging our communities. The United States must:

  • repeal and eliminate restrictions on domestic and global AIDS funds

  • support evidence-based best practices for HIV prevention, treatment and care targeted at sex workers

  • repeal the prostitution inadmissibility ground and support migrant sex workers

  • institute mechanisms that allow sex workers to find redress for human rights violations

  • implement rigorous training of law enforcement officials on legal and human rights standards

  • reorient anti-trafficking campaigns to be in line with the standards set by the United Nations

  • engage sex workers in helping stop exploitation in the sex sector

  • ensure that sex workers are not subjected to arrests, court proceedings, detention, mandatory testing or government-mandated "rehabilitation" programs

Latest blog entries

A message from Voices of Women Media

Vivian Wenli Lin, Co-Director, Voices of Women Media

Voices of Women Media supports the Call to Action on Sex Work and HIV. As an organization that works closely with sex workers to be creative and gain technical skills, we recognize the importance in raising awareness of these issues in an effort to increase the rights of sex workers. This cause is very important… Read more »

A message from the HIV Prevention Justice Alliance

Julie Davids, Che Gossett & Kiesha McCurtis, HIV Prevention Justice Alliance

While stigma of the HIV travel ban has been hailed as a thing of the past, two of the groups who most need HIV/AIDS resources — active and former sex workers and drug users — are still denied entry into the United States. As members of the HIV Prevention Justice Alliance (HIV PJA), we recognize that… Read more »

A message from The Poor Man’s Resource Society

Tina Marie Tomashiro, Executive Director, The Poor Man's Resource Society

Here are a few reasons why The Poor Man’s Resource Society (TPMRS) decided to support the “Call to Change U.S. Policy on Sex Work and HIV”: 1. Although I am the Executive Director of TPMRS, due to circumstances beyond my control, I have had to rely on the extra income of sex work again. Having… Read more »

Latest endorsements

10

USA

Melissa Stryker

USA

PONY (Prostitutes of New York)

United States

Tracy Quan

USA

Krissy Summers, Bachelor of Social Science

Australia

David J. Perez

USA

Matthias Lehmann, B.A., M.A.

Research Project Korea

Germany

Tony Ray

Trainer

USA

Christine Rodriguez, MPH

Program Associate

Housing Works

USA