This year, traditionally, STAR – The first Sex Workers collective in the Balkans in the Balkans is organizing a Red Umbrella March to mark 17 December, the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.
Experiences and statistics in the world and in our country have shown that women and transgender sex workers are the most exposed to violence in all forms. Therefore, as every year, we will take it to the streets and emphasize our commitment to solidarity with sex workers and end the marginalization and victimization of sex workers.
As this important day approaches, we remember all the victims of violence over the years and reinforce our commitment to the constant struggle to increase visibility and respect for sex workers. Although we have been marching for 12 years, we are still invisible to society and institutions. Institutions remain deaf to our demands and efforts to create safe living and working conditions, although they have a duty to guarantee the safety and health of all citizens equally. Our rights need to be guaranteed, we want to be recognized by labor laws and to have free access to justice and health services.
RED UMBRELLA MARCH
TUESDAY, 17 DECEMBER, 12:00 PM
PLACE: IN FRONT OF THE MEMORIAL HOUSE OF MOTHER THERESA ON MACEDONIA STREET
The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers was first commemorated in 2003 as a memorial to the victims of the Green River killer in Seattle, Washington. Since then, marking this day has enabled sex workers around the world to come together and work together to combat discrimination and violence.
Join us this year too, to open our red umbrellas and march together against criminalization and violence on our community. The assaults, abuses, rapes, and murders of sex workers must stop. Economic inequality, systems of state violence and oppression must stop. The stigma, discrimination, and criminalization of violence against us must end.