Urban Justice - Projects

Projects

Sex Workers

Created in December 2001, the Sex Workers Project is the first program in New York City and in the country to focus on the provision of legal services, legal training, documentation, and policy advocacy for sex workers. Using a harm reduction and human rights model, the SWP protects the rights and safety of sex workers who by choice, circumstance, or coercion remain in the industry.

The SWP provides critical information to policymakers, activists, and the media on the human rights abuses faced by sex workers and those who are at risk for engaging in sex work. We use documentation-based advocacy, policy analysis, training and education, and collaboration with community-based service providers to advance practical, long-term solutions to the problems faced by this vulnerable and marginalized population. We document the lives of sex workers and put a human face on violations of their human rights.

The SWP works to ensure that the criminal justice system appropriately responds to the needs of sex workers; that victims of trafficking in persons have access to legal and other benefits; and that community-based service providers who work with sex workers have the expertise to assist them. The SWP works in the following areas: criminal justice reform; trafficking in persons; and human rights documentation.

To learn how to access our services, visit our Get Help link. For additional information, please visit www.sexworkersproject.org and contact us at: swp@urbanjustice.org. For media inquiries, please contact Sienna Baskin at (646) 602-5695.

News and Events

Summer and Fall 2010 Intership/Externship
Sex Workers Project

Click here for details.

Take action and join New York City based transgender communities, activists, advocates, and allies in demanding changes to the NYPD Patrol Guide!

Transgender New Yorkers experience verbal and sexual harassment as well as unlawful overly intrusive searches and sexual and physical assaults when interacting with NYPD officers. Transgender people also experience disproportionate arrests for "quality of life" offenses based on their presence in public space. Unfortunately, these experiences are just the tip of the iceberg.

To respond to these needs, a group of community organizations and individuals – including those who have personally come into contact with the NYPD – came together to propose comprehensive changes to the NYPD patrol guide that include:

NYPD officers will refer to an arrestee with the name and pronouns the arrestee has used to identify him or herself; using a name different from that on one's identification documents alone does not justify false personation charges.
NYPD officers will not require proof of an individual's gender or challenge an individual's gender identity.
NYPD officers will not construe gender identity or expression as evidence that an individual has engaged in prostitution or any other crime.
NYPD officers will not engage in overly intrusive or unlawful searches of transgender people for the purposes of determining gender or to view or touch their genitals.
Transgender New Yorkers will be housed where it is safest for them when they are in NYPD custody.

Now is a critical time to push for the implementation of these policy changes! What Can You Do?

Sign the online petition now! Take action by signing the online petition to advocate for the implementation of these policy changes to the NYPD patrol guide.
Send the petition link to your friends, networks, and list-serves.

"Kicking Down the Door: The Use of Raids to Combat Trafficking in Persons"

A new report finds raids are not an effective tool in combating trafficking in persons. Report shows women who have been forced into sex work are not helped, and may even be harmed, by well-intentioned "rescue" raids on brothels.
PDF Executive Summary
PDF Full Report
PDF Fact Sheet on Raids and Trafficking
PDF Fact Sheet on Human Trafficking and Sex Workers
MP3 MP3 audio file of the press conference (5.3 MB, 46 minutes)