Sexwork

Providing sexual services is considered the “oldest profession in the world.” Throughout history, society’s view of providing sexual services has changed. What we should understand under the term sex work and what services we provide for people who work in sex work can be read in the following lines. Sex work is sex by mutual agreement between adults for a fee; the term sex work refers to voluntary work, it does not evaluate or condemn. While the term prostitution should be understood as involuntary activity—forced prostitution, child prostitution—perceived as a socio-pathological, socially undesirable phenomenon. Prostitution—human trafficking is a criminal offense. By using the term sex work, we clearly separate the topic of paid sexual services from the issue of human trafficking (i.e., forced work in sex work) and prostitution (i.e., commercial sex performed by children and adolescents). Words matter, and therefore we prefer the use of the words: sex work, women/people working in sex work, sex workers.

The red umbrella is an international symbol of people working in sex work. Just as an umbrella protects from rain, the umbrella is a symbol of protection—protection from injustice. The rights of people working in sex work are human rights, which are not always respected. It is precisely for these reasons that several international days related to people working in sex work have been established:

3.3. 3/3 International Day of the Rights of Sex Workers – we draw attention to the fact that people working in sex work also have rights (established since 2001)

2.6. 2/6 International Day of Sex Workers – we pay respect to people working in sex work and draw attention to their often satisfactory working conditions (established since 1975)

14.9. 14/9 International Day of Sex Worker Pride – we celebrate the determination of people working in sex work, share their stories, and remember what the sex worker movement has achieved (established since 2019)

17.12. 17/12 International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers – we draw attention to violent acts committed against people working in sex work and to the social stigma and discrimination they have to face (established since 2003)

Forms of sex work are divided into: private sex work, hotel sex work, apartment-based sex work, bar-based sex work, street, road, and highway sex work. Sex work can also take a public and legal form, which is usually organized—for example erotic and massage salons and saunas, strip clubs, sex clubs, brothels, escort services; and a hidden form, for example street sex work.

There are different legislative models of sex work in the world:

• Prohibition – any activities carried out within sex work are punished; all involved parties are punished.
• Abolition – so-called third parties are punished, such as pimps, salon owners, traffickers, or the government of a given country does not punish the people working in sex work themselves but, by its nature, prevents them from performing this work in safe conditions.
• Regulation – sex work is officially tolerated as a “necessary evil”; the state seeks control within the tax and health system, but the system does not accept sex work itself or the people who perform it; typical are, for example, medical checks whose frequency is unnecessarily frequent and ineffective.
• Decriminalization – views sex work as free labor and separates sex work from forced prostitution. It rejects prosecution of any involved party. It takes into account the labor rights of these people and seeks to create safe working conditions for them.
• Absence of law – sex work is not legally anchored and there is no nationwide legal regulation; local legislative regulations may exist, but these fine or punish sex work.

Almost everywhere there are laws designed to limit and control sex work, but they rarely achieve the desired effect Laws against organizers of sex work can temporarily limit the activity, but can also push it into more hidden forms. Laws that punish sex workers also reduce their power to protect themselves and leave them vulnerable to violence from clients as well as arbitrary and corrupt behavior by public and state authorities, such as police officers. The overall health of sex workers is generally better where sex workers have a higher status.

Sex work is not legally regulated in Slovakia and lies on the margins of interest, just like people working in sex work, who must face a high degree of marginalization and stigmatization. People working in sex work often do not even realize in what ways their working conditions or environment could be safer and better suited to their basic needs, and what benefits they miss out on by operating in this grey zone of the economy. People working in sex work often do not even realize in what ways their working conditions or environment could be safer and better suited to their basic needs, and what benefits they miss out on by operating in this grey zone of the economy.

However, the law regulates sexual intercourse in public; it may be classified as a misdemeanor against public order, with a fine for this misdemeanor of up to €100, or as the criminal offense of hooliganism. In this case, the criminal offense is defined as follows: “Whoever commits, verbally or physically, in public or in a place accessible to the public, gross indecency or disorderly conduct, in particular by: … e) causing public outrage by engaging in sexual intercourse or by engaging in sexual exhibitionism or other pathological sexual practices.” For such a criminal offense, a prison sentence of up to three years may be imposed. Slovak law defines public outrage as follows: “Public outrage is such perception of the perpetrator’s conduct that is in stark contradiction with the principles of morality, ethics, and coexistence among citizens and, in a group of people, causes serious moral condemnation and outrage.”

Our Criminal code 300/2005 Z. z . under § 132, defines: “For the purposes of this Act, prostitution means satisfying another person’s sexual needs by intercourse, by another form of sexual intercourse, or by another similar sexual act with an adult person for remuneration.” Under § 367 it also punishes procuring: “Whoever arranges, induces, entices, exploits, obtains, or offers another for the performance of prostitution, or whoever profits from prostitution performed by another, or enables its performance, shall be punished by imprisonment for up to three years.” Under § 179 it is a criminal offense against freedom—human trafficking. As we can see, Slovak law does not distinguish between prostitution and sex work, i.e., it defines both forced and voluntary provision of sexual services as prostitution.

We, as the civic association Odyseus, provide services for people working in sex work and/or people who inject drugs. Within our activities we have the Red Umbrella program, through which, since 2003, our goal has been for people working in sex work to be accepted as part of society and for their rights not to be violated. We support their protection from violence and the prevention of health problems. If you work in sex work, do not hesitate to contact us.

What can you contact us about?

• Ak máš záujem o kondómy a iný materiál (zdarma).
• If you are interested in condoms and other materials (free of charge).
  If you want to get tested, either preventively or because you have been in a risky situation, once or regularly.
• If you have any problems—health, mental, interpersonal relationships (family, partner, with children)—and you need counseling, accompaniment, or information.
• If you experience violence or stigma—at work, in your partner or family life.
  
  
• If you need advice regarding your work, or other employment options.
• If you have any problems in your work or your rights are being violated.
• If because of your work you cannot turn to your surroundings or someone else.
• If something else is happening in your life and you have no one to turn to.

What can we provide to you if you are a person working in sex work?

• On a regular basis: condoms for penis and vagina, lubricating gel, hygiene supplies or disinfectant, sanitary pads.
• But not only that: we can also provide you with a pregnancy test or the morning-after pill.
• Testing for blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, HCV, and syphilis.
  
• Workshops on correct use of male and female condoms, as well as use of lubricating gel, counseling on safer sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and various informational-educational materials.
• Accompaniment to doctors, offices, court, depending on what you need.
• Professional counseling—personal, by phone, or by email, also according to your needs.

How do we provide our services?

• Our services are anonymous—you do not have to show any ID, you do not even have to tell us your name.
• You do not have to use our services repeatedly/regularly—using our services is not conditional on commitment.
• All our services are free of charge for people working in sex work—you never pay anything with us.
• We want to create a safe space for you—you will not encounter condemnation, judgment, stigma, or stereotypes. We respect and accept your work and you as you are.
• We address what you currently need—we try to meet your current needs and help you with what you determine yourself; we will not push you into anything, we fully respect your decisions and lifestyle.

If anything from this interests you, or if you have further questions, you can contact us by email, phone, SMS, or in person.

• Mail: brustikova.odyseus@gmail.com
• Phone: 0947 929 724 (during week from 9:00 to 17:00)
• In person: an in-person meeting must be arranged in advance

Sources:

HARCOURT, C. – DONOVAN, B. (2005). The many faces of sex work. Sexually Transmitted Infections, vol. 81, no. 3, pp. 201–206. ISSN 1472-3263.

CHMELÍK, J. – BUDINA, Z. – PORADA, V. – WEISS, P. (2003). Mravnost, pornografie a mravnostní kriminalita. 1. vyd. Praha: Portál, 208 s. ISBN 80-7178-739-6.

OZ Odyseus (2015). Sex-biznis v kocke: Informačný materiál. https://www.ozodyseus.sk/files/sex-biznis-v-kocke.pdf

OZ Odyseus (2019). Vyhodnotenie dotazníka “Počúvaj hlas ulice” : Dotazník mapujúci potreby ľudí pracujúcich v sexbiznise a ich skúsenosť s násilím. https://www.ozodyseus.sk/files/prieskum-nasilia-v-sexbiznise-2019.pdf

OZ Odyseus (2015). Legislatívne riešenia sex-biznisu vo svete: https://www.ozodyseus.sk/files/legislativne-riesenia.pdf

OZ Odyseus. (2019). Práca v sex-biznise a ľudské práva. Šliapať chodník neznamená šliapať po svojich právach . ISBN 978-80-972047-5-4.