Scarlet Alliance
Encyclopedia
Scarlet Alliance is the national peak sex worker organisation of Australia and was formed in 1989. Scarlet Alliance, Australia
n sex worker
s Association, through its objectives, policies and programs, aims to achieve equality, social, legal, political, cultural and economic justice for past and present workers in the sex industry, in order for sex workers to be self-determining agents, building their own alliances and choosing where and how they work as outlined in its mission statement
.
Scarlet Alliance has operated as a volunteer organisation since its inception, gaining funding since 2004 for project work both in Australia and internationally. Scarlet Alliance advocates on behalf of a membership of individual sex workers, funded sex worker organizations, projects, and unfunded sex worker networks and groups to inform and improve the policies of: Government, medical services, police, researchers, AFP, DIAC, and within the sex industry. The group aims to achieve an increased understanding of sex workers and issues affecting us, improved OH&S, awarding of human rights
and labour rights and the removal of discriminatory laws and policy.
Scarlet Alliance also conducts a yearly national meeting, with sex worker delegates from around Australia attending. The meeting is held in a different State each year to maximise the inclusion of local sex workers. An AGM
and public symposium are also held at this time.
Scarlet Alliance holds training, public and community forums, and presents at universities, conferences and forums both in Australia and within the region breaking down stigma and addressing negative stereotyping by offering evidence based information that is in opposition to the popular misconceptions about who sex workers are, what is involved in sex work and why sex workers choose sex work.
The organisation has been, and is, a key advocate and participant in HIV
& STI
prevention work in Australia. Sex worker communities in Australia have high rates of condom use, low rates of STIs, HIV and AIDS
. The organisation's objectives
are public on the website.
Scarlet Alliance has worked for more than 15 years toward rights for migrant sex workers and to assist Australia to avoid the mistakes other countries have experienced in adopting anti-trafficking
measures which single out the sex industry for raids and rescues. Scarlet Alliance advocates that legal methods of migration for sex workers seeking to work in Australia would empower sex workers to travel reducing the incentive of verbal contracts.
The Scarlet Alliance national training project is a 14 core module and 4 elective module assessment package that allows peer educators sex workers working with other sex workers, sharing strategies, information and knowledge in a two way process covering: HIV and STI prevention, condom use negotiation; safe working practices; legal, taxation, and OH&S rights and responsibilities and workplace related matters to work through a self passed assessment with an assessor identifying and providing proof of work completed for the successful applicant to achieve the qualification of a Diploma of Community Education. These modules identify the key skills of peer educators and assist in setting high standards of peer education within sex worker organisations in Australia.
As sex work in Australia takes place in a work place or work space for the majority of sex workers rights and conditions in the workplace impact directly on sex workers ability to negotiate working safely and negotiating condom use. The Scarlet Alliance motto is, "Sex Work is work!" This is in line with how sex workers understand and approach their involvement in the industry.
The Scarlet Alliance magazine proVision carries articles on this and many more aspects of sex work.
Scarlet Alliance networks with sister sex worker organisations including Friends Frangipani Association in Papua New Guinea
, Empower
in Thailand
, IUSW on the United Kingdom
, DMSC in India, WNU in Cambodia
, COSWAS in Taiwan, COYOTE
in the United States, Ziteng in Hong Kong
etc
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n sex worker
Sex worker
A sex worker is a person who works in the sex industry. The term is usually used in reference to those in the sex industry that actually provide such sexual services, as opposed to management and staff of such industries...
s Association, through its objectives, policies and programs, aims to achieve equality, social, legal, political, cultural and economic justice for past and present workers in the sex industry, in order for sex workers to be self-determining agents, building their own alliances and choosing where and how they work as outlined in its mission statement
Mission statement
A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
.
Scarlet Alliance has operated as a volunteer organisation since its inception, gaining funding since 2004 for project work both in Australia and internationally. Scarlet Alliance advocates on behalf of a membership of individual sex workers, funded sex worker organizations, projects, and unfunded sex worker networks and groups to inform and improve the policies of: Government, medical services, police, researchers, AFP, DIAC, and within the sex industry. The group aims to achieve an increased understanding of sex workers and issues affecting us, improved OH&S, awarding of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and labour rights and the removal of discriminatory laws and policy.
Scarlet Alliance also conducts a yearly national meeting, with sex worker delegates from around Australia attending. The meeting is held in a different State each year to maximise the inclusion of local sex workers. An AGM
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
and public symposium are also held at this time.
Scarlet Alliance holds training, public and community forums, and presents at universities, conferences and forums both in Australia and within the region breaking down stigma and addressing negative stereotyping by offering evidence based information that is in opposition to the popular misconceptions about who sex workers are, what is involved in sex work and why sex workers choose sex work.
The organisation has been, and is, a key advocate and participant in HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
& STI
STI
-Institutes:*Sega Technical Institute*Semantic Technology Institute International, a scientific and research network; also some of its members call themselves STI*Southern Technical Institute—a university in Marietta, Georgia, USA...
prevention work in Australia. Sex worker communities in Australia have high rates of condom use, low rates of STIs, HIV and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. The organisation's objectives
Goal
A goal is an objective, or a projected computation of affairs, that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve.Goal, GOAL or G.O.A.L may also refer to:Sport...
are public on the website.
Scarlet Alliance has worked for more than 15 years toward rights for migrant sex workers and to assist Australia to avoid the mistakes other countries have experienced in adopting anti-trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
measures which single out the sex industry for raids and rescues. Scarlet Alliance advocates that legal methods of migration for sex workers seeking to work in Australia would empower sex workers to travel reducing the incentive of verbal contracts.
The Scarlet Alliance national training project is a 14 core module and 4 elective module assessment package that allows peer educators sex workers working with other sex workers, sharing strategies, information and knowledge in a two way process covering: HIV and STI prevention, condom use negotiation; safe working practices; legal, taxation, and OH&S rights and responsibilities and workplace related matters to work through a self passed assessment with an assessor identifying and providing proof of work completed for the successful applicant to achieve the qualification of a Diploma of Community Education. These modules identify the key skills of peer educators and assist in setting high standards of peer education within sex worker organisations in Australia.
As sex work in Australia takes place in a work place or work space for the majority of sex workers rights and conditions in the workplace impact directly on sex workers ability to negotiate working safely and negotiating condom use. The Scarlet Alliance motto is, "Sex Work is work!" This is in line with how sex workers understand and approach their involvement in the industry.
The Scarlet Alliance magazine proVision carries articles on this and many more aspects of sex work.
Scarlet Alliance networks with sister sex worker organisations including Friends Frangipani Association in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, Empower
EMPOWER
EMPOWER , also known as Centre for Sex Workers' Protection or Moolniti Songserm Okard Pooying , is a non-profit organisation in Thailand that supports sex workers by offering free classes in language, health, law and pre-college education as well as individual counseling...
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, IUSW on the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, DMSC in India, WNU in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, COSWAS in Taiwan, COYOTE
COYOTE
COYOTE, or Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics, is an American sex worker activist organization. COYOTE's goals include the decriminalization of prostitution, pimping and pandering, as well as the elimination of social stigma concerning sex work as an occupation.Though it is frequently described as a...
in the United States, Ziteng in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
etc