World Whore Day 2025: Migrants in Austria are fighting for their rights!

World Whore Day 2025: Migrants in Austria are fighting for their rights!

Wien, Österreich - On June 2, 2025, International World Whore Day is celebrated, a day that draws attention to the realities of life, rights and working conditions of sex workers. Originally in 1975 in Lyon, France, when over 100 sex workers occupied a church to protest against police violence and discrimination, this day has become more important and symbolizes the global struggle for recognition and human dignity in sex work. In Austria, where an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 people work in sex work, 90 % of them are women, of whom 80-85 % are migrants. The main origins are Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Nigeria. Strong hotspots for sex work in Austria are Vienna, Graz, Linz and the border regions in the east of the country.

The life realities of migrant women in sex work are often shaped by precarious economic conditions. Many of the women concerned see this work a way to support their families. Coronapandemic has further tightened the situation because many women have lost their income and had no access to unemployment support or auxiliary packages. Much of the sex workers works in illegalized areas, which significantly reduces access to medical care and legal protection. Discrimination, stigmatization and marginalization are central characteristics with which these women are confronted, as Bendera Kenga Masha from the Lefö association emphasizes: "The life realities of migrant sex workers are strongly shaped by uncertainty and social exclusion." href = "https://www.kosmo.at/welthurenag-die-bittere-wahrheit-wacher-Balkan-frauen-in-oesterreich/"> kosmo reported.

structural discrimination and legal claims

The problems that migrant sex workers experience in Austria are not isolated. Common forms of discrimination such as racism, sexism and classism are commonplace. Precarious working conditions that affect not only these special professions, but also many other activities of migrants, require urgent legal measures to protect the human rights of these women. Organizations such as LEFÖ, SXA-Info and Amnesty International call for decriminalization of sex work, better access to health care and social benefits as well as the recognition of sex work as regular work. In addition, protection against violence, exploitation and human trafficking is of central importance. Amnesty emphasizes that the discourse on sex work is carried out on a labor law basis instead of moral arguments should.

Another urgent problem is the job ban for HIV-positive sex workers. Despite effective therapies that prevent virus transmission, they are stigmatized and pushed into illegality. The professional ban does not reflect the medical reality and contradicts the principles of equal treatment. AIDS aids require the cancellation of this regulation to improve the acceptance and protection of these women.

violence and the role of the police

The question of protection against violence is of the greatest importance for sex workers. They often feel the police more as a threat than as a protection instance. This is evidenced by reports on police chicane and gross treatment that many sex workers experience in different countries. For fear of stigmatization and criminal persecution, you hesitate to report violence and human rights violations. A human rights-based approach is necessary to ensure that sex workers can contact the authorities without fear of legal consequences. magazin.hiv demands that the rights of sex workers are prioritized and the perpetrators are fully included.

Overall, the challenges that migrant sex workers face are complex and require a comprehensive understanding of the underlying structural problems. International World Whores Day offers an important platform to draw attention to the need for reforms and to strengthen the voices of this often marginalized group.

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OrtWien, Österreich
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