Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce

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Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) is a South African organisation that deals with organising sex workers, advocating for and delivering services to South African sex workers. [1] [2] [3] [4] The organisation (popularly known as SWEAT) was established 24 years ago by Shane Petzer (a male sex worker) and Ilse Pauw (clinical psychologist) with the intention to create safe sex education for adult sex workers, and advocate for sex workers rights. [5] The organisation supports the decriminalization of sex work. [6] SWEAT are affiliated with the transgender sex worker support group SistaazHood. [7]

Contents

History

According to their website, SWEAT was registered in 1996, [8] and have been working with sex workers in Cape Town since then. [9]

Programmes

SWEAT has several programmes that support sex workers including legal assistance. [10] [11]

Notable work

SWEAT won an interdict on high court in Cape Town prohibiting the arrest of sex workers for an ulterior purpose. [8] [12]

Research

SWEAT have carried out a number of research projects: [9]

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References

  1. "Lockdown worsens mental health of sex workers". TimesLIVE.
  2. "SWEAT". Global Network of Sex Work Projects. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  3. "Sex workers abandoned as Covid-19 crackdowns undo Africa's HIV efforts". The Mail & Guardian. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  4. "Study shows extent of PTSD problem among SA's sex workers". Medical Brief. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  5. "Timeline". Sweat. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  6. "Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce Campaigns for Legal Reform in South Africa". www.opensocietyfoundations.org. 30 December 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  7. "Meet SistaazHood: Cape Town's trans sex workers fuelled by fashion". LOVE. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Timeline".
  9. 1 2 "Sex work research and advocacy" (PDF). www.svri.org. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  10. "SWEEEP".
  11. "Police treat sex workers like they are 'nothing'". The Mail & Guardian. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  12. "The Sex worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce v Minister of Safety and Security and Others (3378/07) [2009] ZAWCHC 64; 2009 (6) SA 513 (WCC) (20 April 2009)". www.saflii.org. Retrieved 17 October 2020.