Mission Sex workers

Since the introduction of the Internal Security Law (ISL) in 2003, the living conditions of people working in prostitution has deteriorated. The majority have irregular immigration status and these migrant sex workers suffer both from the current repression against foreigners and the criminalisation of passive soliciting. In 2007, this context has increased the vulnerability of sex workers, and more particularly their exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. Access to healthcare is increasingly difficult for this population and their rights are respected less and less.

Access to prevention, care and rights - Montpellier, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Poitiers

Activities:

Since 1999 MdM has been supporting sex workers with prevention activities:

• organisation of night and day outreach sessions in prostitution places, to provide prevention equipment and to offer a listening service;
• development of more individualised support (consultations, screening, listening…) in clinics and in health workshops;
• physical accompaniment, if necessary, to refer women to mainstream health services and to facilitate communication for those who don’t speak French;
• adapting and translating health promotion information relating to STIs, HIV and human rights.

Outlook:

The ISL has moved the places where prostitution takes place. Today, the teams know that they won’t reach all sex workers. It is important, therefore, to be able to establish concrete ways of contacting people who don’t work on the streets but who have the same needs in terms of accessing prevention, healthcare and their rights. In 2007, the Funambus in Nantes began to work on identifying new forms of prostitution in private places. The programmes want to continue and to reinforce their advocacy,, particularly in relation to the health and social consequences of this law.

Types of work:

• Montpellier: on top of the evening sessions in the town centre, the programme introduced a daytime session on the trunk roads once a week.
• Nantes: the bus goes out two to three nights a week. Physical accompaniment to hospital, for other appointments relating to access to healthcare or rights, to lodge complaints or to attend court for soliciting hearings. Help to register on literacy courses. Setting up thematic health workshops. Contact and prev-ention activities with sex workers working in private places.
• Paris: three outings a week on the streets. Information is adapted and translated into Chinese. Referrals and accompaniment with interpreters if necessary. Implementation of monthly thematic workshops (health and legal).
• Poitiers: two outreach sessions a week. Daytime and night-time patrols once a week as part of the L’Abri collective.
• Rouen: bus outreach session once a fortnight, alternating with the association AIDES. Infectious disease screening programme.

August 2008