International Conference on Prostitution
The English Collective of Prostitutes - 19.11.2004 17:57
NO BAD WOMEN, NO BAD CHILDREN, JUST BAD LAWS
The English Collective of Prostitutes and the International Prostitutes Collective invite you to an International Conference on prostitution
A response to the government’s review of the prostitution laws, the first in 50 years.
Saturday 4 December 9.30 –6 pm
St Mary's Church, Somers Town, Eversholt St. London NW1
(Corner of Aldenham St. & Eversholt St. Undergrounds Mornington Crescent & Euston)
Fully wheelchair accessible. Refreshments
Entrance: institutions £30; high waged £10; waged £3-£5; unwaged £3
For those concerned with the safety and welfare of sex workers, and all women and children, and those ready to learn from the experience in other countries where prostitution has been legalised or decriminalised.
Speakers include:
Catherine Healy, New Zealand Prostitutes Collective
Abhijit Dasgupta, former coordinator of anti-trafficking programme Action Aid International
Terri Dowty, Action on Rights of Children
Pauline Campbell, mother of Sarah Campbell, who died in Styal prison
Nushra Mapstone, British Association of Social Workers
Cari Mitchell, English Collective of Prostitutes
Rev Paul Nicolson, Zacchaeus 2000
Rachel West, USPROStitutes Collective
Chair: Nina Lopez, International Prostitutes Collective
Contact details: Crossroads Women’s Centre PO Box 287 London NW6 5QU
Tel: 020 7482 2496 minicom/voice Fax: 020 7209 4761
E-mail:  ecp@allwomencount.net www.prostitutescollective.net
Most people believe sex workers should not be criminalised and do not consider paying for sex an offence. Poverty and debt, major factors in driving women into prostitution, are major issues for millions of us. Yet cuts to our survival benefits and services as well as unequal pay continue side by side with billions in unrestrained military spending.
The consultation paper appears to target men (“the demand”), rather than women and children (“the suppliers”), appealing to many women’s dislike of the sex industry.
But given the punitive approach the UK government has adopted, following the US lead of bullying in civil liberties and criminal justice issues, women and young people can expect the worst:
- more Anti-Social Behaviour Orders landing more of us in prison;
- more deportations under the guise of cracking down on trafficking;
- higher prison sentences for women working from premises;
- military style boot camps, with an eventual army job, for ‘wayward’ children as young as six.
In other words, criminalisation or militarisation for most of us!
It is time to stand united against our being divided between those of us labelled “bad” and those labelled “respectable”. No bad women, no bad children, just bad laws!
 E-Mail: ecp@allwomencount.net  Website: http://www.prostitutescollective.net
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