Sex workers around the world report disproportionate levels of violence, including police abuse, physical and sexual assault, and rape. To address this issue, the Open Society Institute's Sexual Health and Rights Project and International Women's Program supported a March 2008 collaborative dialogue, organized by Creating Resources for Empowerment in Action and Centre for Advocacy on Stigma and Marginalization.
The purpose of the meeting was to bring together the movement to end violence against women and the sex workers' rights movement to help participants better understand the nature and causes of the violence faced by sex workers, and identify rights-based strategies to reduce this violence.
The dialogue addressed the link between criminalization and stigmatization of sex work and increased levels of violence against sex workers. Participants also explored how to tap into existing campaigns to end violence against women.
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