From:NextGenderation
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Press release from the first Nordic conference for sex
workers 2728
October 2004 in Oslo, Norway
For the first time female, male and transgender sex
workers from the
Nordic countries gathered for a conference. The urgent
situation in
Sweden has made it apparent that a network for sex
workers is crucial for
further political work in the Nordic region. In the
current political
situation the attending representatives from the
Nordic sex worker
organisations wanted to stress unity concerning the
central issues that future
prostitutiton policies must take into account:
1. Legislation on sex work should not criminalize
neither buyers nor
sellers of sexual services.
2. When making ne
w laws and enforcing already existing laws, the main
concern must be not to further stigmatize or endanger
the sex workers.
3. All the Nordic countries are currently facing an
increase of migrant
men and women working in the sex industry. Some of
these men and women
do not have legal documents. We demand practical and
functional
solutions for these persons that do not further
criminalize them and that
respect their fundamental human rights and take into
consideration the
situation in their countries of origin.
4. Social workers, health care workers and civil
servants who are to
aid sex workers must base their support on sex
workers understanding of
their own needs. Therefore we suggest an objective
mapping of the sex
market as a whole in each of the Nordic countries.
This should be done
in co-operation with sex workers.
At the conference a network was formed to ensure that
the political
work is continued. It was also decided that an annual
award is to be given
to a person brave enough to give sex workers a
voice. The first prize
was awarded the Norwegian member of parliament Inga
Marte Thorkildsen
for her passionate support and her willingness to
stand in pride next
to sex workers and refer to them as friends and
equals.
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