Sex workers and porn performers are victims of constant public persecution and sometimes even violence by police forces.
Many of the human rights challenges, vulnerabilities and barriers that sex workers (and porno lesbienne performers) face in accessing public services are due to the criminalization and restrictive laws, regulations and practices they face.
The sale and/or purchase of sex is partially or fully criminalized in at least 39 countries, with many criminalizing some aspect of sex work, and others applying general criminal law to criminalize sex work.
Governments crackdown on sex workers
In the meantime, the French government is doing nothing but putting pressure on sex workers and their conditions, imposing fines for those who pay for sex acts.
Claiming that this measure is implemented to protect sex workers, who protested against the legislation during the final debate, making it clear that this decision will only drive prostitution deeper underground.
Sex workers’ rights are human rights:
Protecting the rights of lesbian pornographers and sex workers in general means protecting human rights. Sex workers, like any other workers, have the ability and the right to choose how they want to earn a living from among the options available to them.
Sex work gives economic independence to many women. To ignore this is to ignore the main motivation behind sex work.
This must be recognized and respected in the same way that their work.
The same goes for their demands, which could be basically summarized as safe places to work, labor rights and social benefits just like, I insist, any other worker.
Who defends their rights?
Sex workers’ organizations are leading efforts to promote their human rights and especially access to health services in many countries.
In France, organizations led by lesbian porn actresses worked closely with the Ministry of Health to develop the National HIV Plan for Sex Workers.
Which calls for an enabling environment for protection and access to services for sex workers.
In addition to assisting in the creation of community empowerment services aimed at reducing violence, stigma and discrimination, they included sensitization training and a helpline for sex workers.
Is this enough?
There is growing evidence of the importance of addressing the structural and legal barriers affecting sex workers. Ending the threats would require the commitment of governments and all stakeholders.
Prioritizing and intensifying efforts to protect the human rights of the thousands of women working in the pornography industry should be a focus for all governments and businesses worldwide.