Sex workers to speak out with display at city hall next week
The Safe Harbour Outreach Project (SHOP) and the City of St. John’s will host an advocacy display, “Sex Workers Speak Out: Coast to Coast Perspectives About Canada’s Harmful Laws” in honour of International Sex Workers’ Rights Day, which takes place March 3 each year.
Showcasing the voices and writing of people who engage in sex work across Canada, including sex workers in St. John’s, the display will be hung in The Great Hall at city hall from Monday until Friday, SHOP stated in a news release.
The display is open to the public.
Stories from sex workers of various identities, ages and experiences highlight the harmful impact Canada’s prostitution laws have on sex workers’ day-today lives due to stigma, barriers to human rights and pushing the people who do this work underground, SHOP says.
A reception will take place in The Great Hall Friday at 6 p.m., to coincide with the annual International Sex Workers’ Rights Day.
“City officials and SHOP representatives will be speaking at the reception, recognizing that sex workers are a part of St. John’s, are valuable members of our community, and sex workers rights are human rights that should be upheld,” SHOP said.
The reception is free, physically accessible and open to the public, and will have light refreshments.
SHOP advocates and provides support to more than 150 sex workers in the St. John’s area.