The Sex Workers Rights Movement is a Movement started by various sex workers and organizations for the human, health, and labor rights of the sex workers and their clients. This movement is a fight created to decriminalize sex work and create a safer working space for sex workers in the industry with access to healthcare.
The Sex worker’s Rights movement goes back to the late 19th Century with the formation of Las Horizontales and later on the creation of COYOTE, Global Network of Sex Work Projects, and more.
In this article, we will take a look at the Sex Workers Rights Movement along with witnessing various timelines that took place during the movement and what rights Sex workers own in the United States. So, let’s begin.
Sex Workers Rights Movement Timeline
The Timeline of the Sex Workers’ rights movement is a bit complex and has varied depending on different countries. Initially, this movement was started during the late 19th century to improve working conditions, and healthcare access and eliminate discrimination.
Here are some of the notable key points that took place during the sex workers’ rights movement.
Late 19th Century:
The first ever sex worker organization that has been recorded is known as “Las Horizontales” which started during the late 19th century 1888 in Havana, Cuba. This group of sex workers produced a newspaper called “La Cebolla” where they stated numerous discrimination faced by sex workers such as not being eligible to vote while paying taxes, police extortion, and more.
20th Century:
Regardless of Las Horizontales being established in 1888 and pointing out various injustices faced by sex workers in the late 19th century. The first major highlight of the sex workers’ rights movement took place in the 1970s and 1980s with the feminist movement which took place in Europe and North America.
The 1970s and 1980s: The 1970s highlighted the rise of the feminist movement which indirectly helped raise concerns related to sex workers. Some of the topics that were highly considered during the feminist discourse included Prostitution and Human Trafficking.
This resulted in the beginning of the mobilization of sex workers’ rights in the United States. During the 1980s the HIV/AIDS epidemic highlighted the massive need for public health approaches towards sex work. The movement went on to grow globally as members joined the fight together to battle the HIV/AIDS crisis.
One of the most recognized sex work organizations COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) played a major role in advocating for the rights and safety of individuals working in the sex industry. Margo St. James founded COYOTE in 1973, which later on became one of the most recognized organizations for sex workers’ rights.
1990: The Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) was founded in 1990, which worked and advocated for people for the human rights and health of sex workers. This organization helped provide a platform for prostitutes sex workers and allies to collaborate internationally and uphold their rights.
21st Century:
2000s: In the 21st Century various countries such as Germany and New Zealand worked towards creating better and more improved spaces for sex workers. Implementation of laws decriminalizing or legalizing sex work along with a few limitations took place.
2012: The United Nations Development Programme released a report suggesting discrimination of sex work to reduce HIV transmission among people and advocate human rights.
2019: The World Health Organization (WHO) releases various guidelines regarding the prevention of HIV, treatment, diagnosis, and care for populations. The guidelines also included various reports emphasizing the significance of decriminalization of sex work to improve health results.
2020: There are various organizations and activists currently working towards decriminalization of sex work, social services, and access to better healthcare. One of the major issues addressed by these organizations is the fight to end discrimination and violence against individuals working in the sex industry.
What Was the History of the Sex Workers Rights Movement?
The History of the Sex Workers’ rights movement goes back to the late 19th century when the first sex worker organization was established called Las Horizontales in 1888.
However, the impact of this moment only began in the 1970s with the feminist movement in North America and Europe. During the 1970s topics such as Prostitution and Human Trafficking gathered major attention during the feminist discourse. Which resulted in the start of the mobilization of sex workers’ rights in the United States.
Later on, COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) one of the highly recognized sex work organizations was formed with goals of decriminalization of prostitution, pandering, pimping, and more.
In 1999, another organization called The Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) was formed which provided a space for sex workers to express their feelings and allies them to collaborate internationally and advocate others on sex workers’ rights.
Throughout these years, individuals working in the sex industry have engaged in numerous forms of activism. This includes various legal battles, awareness campaigns, advocating people on decriminalization, promoting human rights, and much more.
What Was the Sex Workers’ Rights Movement in the 1970s?
The Sex Workers Rights Movement in the 1970s aimed to create a better working space for sex workers, increase benefits, and most importantly eliminate any discrimination against people working in the sex industry both legal and criminalized.
Sex Workers Rights Movement in America
The Sex worker’s rights movement in the United States contains a complex history. It includes numerous advocacy efforts, social activism, and legal challenges. The Feminist Movement started in the 1970s helped generate some light on sex workers’ rights.
Through this, the elimination of decriminalization was generated by individuals working in the sex industry. The Sex worker’s rights also issued better working conditions, and increased benefits for people working in the sex industry.
Later on, the HIV/AIDS epidemic highlighted the vulnerability of sex workers to the disease which took place in the 1980s and 1990s. This gave rise to organizations and activities advocating for people regarding the need to create a safer working space for sex workers, along with providing proper healthcare access to individuals working in the sex industry.
The 21st century gave rise to the internet which provided a platform for sex workers to raise their concerns and connect with people on raising the awareness and discrimination faced by sex workers.
What Are the Rights of Sex Workers in the United States?
The United States follows Federal law therefore, their laws vary depending on what state law since it doesn’t contain any national policy that is specifically linked with sex workers or prostitution.
Sex work is restricted in most of the states in the US. But that’s not the case for every state in the US since few rural areas in Nevada consider sex work legal and allow people to engage in prostitution.
Any individual found to be associated with or engaging in prostitution in any country apart from a few rural areas in Nevada can be charged and arrested in the US if found guilty of prostitution.
Are Sex Workers Discriminated Against?
Sex workers suffer enormous discrimination against their human rights. This includes criminalization of sex work resulting in charges and arrests against sex workers.
In various instances, sex workers are denied lease apartments, paving discrimination during job hunts, implicating custody care during divorce proceedings, and more. At times, sex workers also tend to face discrimination while accessing healthcare including their regular check-ups, STDs, and treatments.
When Was Sex Work First Criminalized in the United States?
The criminalization of Sex work in the United States contains a bit of complex history compared to other countries. Since, in the United States the criminalization of sex work varies across different time periods and states.
The first federal law that criminalized sex work in the US was in 1910 under the White Slave Traffic Act which is also called “The Mann Act.” This Act specifically focused on human trafficking and coercion of young girls and women into sex work or prostitution. It made it illegal to transport women across state lines for any immoral purposes.
Even though the main purpose behind the Mann Act was to fight against human trafficking, it was utilized to prosecute people from engaging in sex work and indirectly contributed to the criminalization of sex work in the United States.
Sex Workers Rights Organizations
There is a wide range of Sex Workers’ Rights organizations and groups working towards advocating for people’s health, and the human rights of sex workers. Here are some of the Sex Workers Rights Organizations:
| Organization Name | Founded |
| Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) | 1990 |
| African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) | 2009 |
| Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW) | 1994 |
| TAMPEP (European Network for HIV/STI Prevention and Health Promotion among Migrant Sex Workers) | 1993 |
| International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) | 1985 |
| Sex Trade Workers Industrial Union 690 | 1995 |
| Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network for Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (SWAN) | 2006 |
| East Africa Sex Workers Alliance (EASWA) | 2018 |
| Red Umbrella Fund (RUF) | 2012 |
