The International Union of Sex Workers (IUSW) is a United Kingdom-based
trade union for
sex workers
A sex worker is a person who provides sex work, either on a regular or occasional basis. The term is used in reference to those who work in all areas of the sex industry.Oxford English Dictionary, "sex worker"
According to one view, sex work is d ...
. It campaigns for the
decriminalisation
Decriminalization or decriminalisation is the reclassification in law relating to certain acts or aspects of such to the effect that they are no longer considered a crime, including the removal of criminal penalties in relation to them. This refor ...
of
prostitution
Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...
, and to have
sex work acknowledged as viable labour. In 2002, members voted to affiliate with the
GMB, a general workers union. The union now has official recognition as the sex industry branch of the GMB.
Some of the services offered by the union include:
self-defence classes, free
legal advice and training for members who wish to leave the
sex industry.
The union was formed in 2000 partly as a response to actions taken by
Westminster City Council in
London to try to remove prostitutes from the area.
They are a member of
Backlash, a pressure group formed in 2005 in order to oppose a new law criminalising possession of "
extreme pornography
Section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 is a law in the United Kingdom criminalising possession of what it refers to as "extreme pornographic images". The law came into force on 26 January 2009. The legislation was brought in ...
".
See also
*
Labour rights
*
Pornography in the United Kingdom
Pornography in the United Kingdom is regulated by a variety of laws, regulations, judicial processes, and voluntary schemes. Pornographic material generally has to be assessed by regulators or courts to determine its legality.
The Victorian pornog ...
*
Prostitution in the United Kingdom
*
Sex workers' rights
References
* Arthur Ivor Marsh, Victoria Ryan, "Historical Directory of Trade Unions: Including unions in printing and publishing, local government, retail and distribution, domestic services, general employment, financial services, agriculture", ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions vol.5'', Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2006, , p. 330
External links
International Union of Sex Workersx:talk Project
Sex worker organizations
Sex industry
Sexuality in the United Kingdom
Lobbying organisations in the United Kingdom
Political advocacy groups in the United Kingdom
Sex positivism
2000 establishments in the United Kingdom
GMB (trade union) amalgamations
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