International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers was first recognized in 2003 as a memorial for the victims of Gary Ridgway, the so-called Green River Killer who murdered people in and around King County, Washington, during the 1980s and 1990s. Ridgway would boast about his ease in murdering sex workers or houseless youth because they wouldn’t be missed, saying he was doing the cops’ work for them. Since 2003, this day has galvanized people around the world to organize against whorephobic violence and honor the lives of violence victims. For those who want to read the names and remember those who have been taken from this world, SWOP USA’s December 17th Project gathers them here.
Upcoming December 17th events our comrades will be participating in:
Austin, Tx: SWEET ATX is hosting a Sex Worker Wellness Day & First Aid Workshop on Sunday 12/15 from 4-8PM. SWers only, you must RSVP for the location.
Austin, Tx: Our crew is organizing a Protest Vigil on Tuesday 12/17 from 7:30 – 8:30PM at Republic Square Park. Dress warmly, and bring signs with loved ones names. We’ll provide candles and blankets.
NYC: The Judson Memorial Church’s Sex Worker Alliance is hosting its annual D17 Candle Ceremony, on Tuesday, 12/17 from 6-9PM at Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village. There will be crafts, refreshments, and space to share stories about loved ones.
Chicago, IL: December 17th, 7PM, join us in love, rage, and grief as we honor the lives of sex workers who have passed due to violence in 2024 by reading their names together. Bring poems, candles, offerings for a temporary altar, and signs with names of loved ones or messages of solidarity. Red roses to honor those we’ve lost, and purple flowers to honor Chicago legend Mistress Velvet encouraged. Open to current/former SWs and accomplices. Meet at Van Buren and Clark St. (Near the Federal Metropolitan Correctional Center). Look for the red umbrella. MASKING REQUIRED FOR SAFETY AND ANONYMITY! N-95 masks provided if needed.
If you know of another IDEVASW gathering near you, please feel free to list them in the comments or send us an email via our contact form and we will amplify those on our socials.
One of our comrades wrote an OpEd, Ending Violence Against Sex Workers Means Abolishing Police and Prisons, for TruthOut a few years ago. The article highlights the rampant and societally-condoned violence that sex working/trading people face at the hands of the state and law enforcement. You can read it here.
Trusted comrades, Reframe Health & Justice, compiled this Safety & Harm Reduction on D17 resource several years ago.
