EVENT: International Sex Workers’ Rights Day – March 3, 2022

Thanks for joining us for March 3rd, International Sex Workers’ Rights Day, for the decriminalization of our work!

Please join us in demanding that the Canadian government REPEAL THE LAW that criminalizes sex work, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA), and to FULLY DECRIMINALIZE sex work!

Details about the event

We will begin around 6pm, and we will have a visual and auditory show, which will be projected onto a screen. This will involve speaking (in English), and images. Closed captioning will be on the screen. There will be no walking for this event.

If you are a sex worker, an ally, or someone who wants to learn more, you are welcome! Children and youth are of course also welcome and encouraged to join us.

Those of us from SWWAC will have name tags! If you are a sex worker, please feel free to come and say Hi. 😊 If you are interested, we can tell you a bit more about SWWAC and how you can get involved! We are very friendly and would really like to meet you.

If you can, please bring a light source, like a candle, or a flashlight.

Time & Location

We look forward to seeing you at 6pm, at the North Steps of The Manitoba Legislative Building!

We are so glad you are coming!

COVID Safety Protocols

Please remember our event has strict COVID safety protocols. Everyone attending MUST wear a mask (masks will be available for those who do not have one). Also, please remember to practice social distancing. We will also have hand sanitizer available. These protocols are in place so we can keep our community safe! Thank you in advance. 😊

Photos & Video

Please DO NOT take any photos or video without EXPRESS consent of the folks that may appear in that photo or video. Thank you very much for understanding and respecting folks privacy. 😊

Media

If you are interested in covering our event, please reach out to us first before attending. If you are a sex worker and also a journalist, and want to write about this event, please reach out to us; we would especially like to hear from you! 😊

Cops are never welcome at our events

Contact information

If you would like to reach us, or to make a donation, please feel free to email swwac@sexworkwinnipeg.com or message us on facebook.

Open letter – *please sign*

Please sign the open letter, being organized by CATS (Autonomous Sex Work Collective), demanding rights for sex workers and the decriminalization of our work. Individuals and groups may sign.

CATS – Comité autonome du travail du sexe (Autonomous Sex Work Collective)

Our event is being put on in connection with CATS – Comité autonome du travail du sexe. Their event is also happening March 3rd starting at 5pm (EST) in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal, unceded Indigenous lands where the Kanien’kehà:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of the lands and waters). Please find more information about their amazing organization, and their event here.

More information about the first March 3rd Sex Workers’ Rights Day

The very first Sex Workers’ Rights Day was organized in 2001 by the sex worker rights group Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, which is a collective of 65,000 sex workers based in West Bengal, India. Durbar in Bengali means unbeatable or unstoppable. Their event almost didn’t take place because prohibitionists groups attempted to pressure the government to have their permits for the festival revoked. Find them on their website: www.durbar.org.