EXCITING MAYDAY event! May1- "Move Along: Policing Sex Work in WDC"

[laura taylor]

******Please attend! And please forward to friends/allies.  Thanks!*****************************************************

You're invited!

Release of the Report: "Move Along: Policing Sex Work in Washington D.C." – the product of a year-long community based research project

Come celebrate International Workers' Day and sex worker resistance to discrimination and criminalization!


What: Release of the report Move Along: Policing Sex Work in Washington D.C.
When: Thursday, May1st, 2008, 3pm-5pm
Where: Flemming Center, 1426 9th St NW at P St NW DC
* Refreshments will be provided.*

We welcome friends and allies to join us on May Day to learn more about the abuses of the DC police department towards sex workers and people profiled as sex workers. This project is the result of work by representatives of communities affected by policing in the District including sex workers, transgender people, and immigrants. It is our hope that the report, our findings and recommendations will be useful tools to work for change in the District's approach to commercial sex.


Our key findings include:

·       Survey respondents who had interactions with police reported negative experiences six times more often than positive experiences during those interactions and when locked up. These experiences included confiscation of condoms and other safe sex supplies by police, assault, strip search, being asked to provide sexual favors to the police, verbal abuse, discrimination and false arrest because officers profiled the person as a prostitute, and anti-immigrant discrimination.

·       Latinos, transgender people and youth and young adults were disproportionately subjected to police mistreatment and abuse "They attacked me instead of helping me," said a young Latina transgender woman when describing the police reaction when she called for help after being sexually assaulted.

·       Communities affected by policing of prostitution want to see the District change its approach to the issue of commercial sex, including considering stopping prostitution-related arrests, holding police accountable for abuse, changing prostitution laws, increasing resources for services, and supporting sex workers and others to organize to defend their human rights.


For More Information, Call Different Avenues- 202-829-2103

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