During a demonstration of sex workers in Paris, in 2017 (archives) -
SEVGI / SIPA
During the first confinement, many had to go into debt in the absence of income;
this time they have no choice but to try to work, despite the coronavirus.
Sex workers are sinking into extreme precariousness, alert associations asking for emergency aid from the state.
“They are afraid of the virus, like everyone else.
But when you don't know what you're going to eat and where you're going to sleep at night, there are priorities, ”explains June Charlot, health mediator at the Grisélidis association in Toulouse.
He speaks of "panic" within the community in the face of the re-containment.
Questions come up over and over again: "How will I pay my rent?"
How will I feed my children?
".
Sex workers “wish they could not work, protect themselves, protect public health, but they are hardly able to do so.
It's a bloodless population, ”deplores Sarah-Marie Maffesoli, coordinator at Médecins du Monde.
"The situation is disastrous, including in terms of mental health", she is alarmed.
90% of sex workers are precarious
She estimates that this great precariousness concerns 90% of sex workers.
Or several tens of thousands of people.
Associations, including Médecins du Monde, Aides and Le Strass (the Sex Work Union), are calling for measures from the State, of which they criticize "indifference".
They are notably asking for "an emergency fund to compensate for the loss of income during confinement" and "a moratorium on fines, the penalization of clients and anti-prostitution orders".
The Nid movement is asking for "service tickets for food aid", following on from the tickets that were distributed after the first confinement by the Interministerial Delegation for accommodation and access to housing.
Le Nid also wants sex workers "who need it to have access to emergency accommodation" mobilized for women victims of violence.
A little help from the Assembly
LREM deputy Raphaël Gérard on Monday voted in the Assembly for an increase in financial support of 90,000 euros for 2021 to associations which support sex workers.
“No, that's not enough.
But this allows the subject to be raised in the public debate, ”said the deputy.
He calls for “putting ideology in brackets”, the abolitionist line of sex work, which has predominated since the law of 2016. “The benefit of aid remains conditional on commitment to a path out of prostitution” , he laments.
“This does not respond to the emergency!
".
And, he notes, this has only affected 250 women since 2016.
During the first confinement, the associations had launched several support operations.
The Strass had created a pot: 80,000 euros had been collected thanks to donations from clients or sex workers with more means.
Nearly 500 people and associations had benefited from it.
“We will probably have to start over,” explains Thierry Schaffauser of Strass.
Justice
Two men convicted of prostituting their pregnant partners
Miscellaneous
A driver suspected of having run over two sex workers referred to the prosecution
Society
Coronavirus
Covid 19
Confinement
Precarious
Prostitution