A declaration for the rights of sex workers

The sex workers' union SALLI draws a clear distinction between legal sex services and criminal activities

The autumn meeting of the sex workers' union SALLI, held in Helsinki on December 15, 2002, approved a declaration in which the problems and questions connected with prostitution are discussed broadly.

SALLI demands that the central human rights of sexual autonomy and freedom of occupation be extended to include sex workers, too. In practice this requires that the current law dealing with procuration be amended to allow sex services to be provided legally. On the other hand, the law also needs to be amended so that criminal procuration and trafficking on women can be fought more effectively than at present.

SALLI criticizes the current prostitution debate for an attempt to silence sex workers. In addition, arguments have often been based on vague generalizations and confusion of problems stemming from different causes. Finding a real solution to the problems within the field of sex services requires a more precise analysis of these problems and the inclusion of the people working within the field in the attempts to solve them.

In accordance with SALLI's action plan for the year 2003, the union will develop ethical rules for the sex industry with the purpose of promoting ethical and safe sex business that respects all parties. In the near future, however, campaigning against the demands that the buying of sex services be criminalized is likely to take up most of the resources of the union. The campaign includes, for example, a citizens' petition for the rights of sex workers.

The autumn meeting of the new union chose as its president Johanna Sirkiä, better known as Lady Johanna, who works as a sex entrepreneur in Helsinki. After the meeting, the new executive committee of the union chose Anna Kontula, living in Tampere, as the union's vice president.

SALLI was founded on November 17, 2002 as the interest group of Finnish workers within the sex industry.

The declaration in Finnish language: http://www.salli.org/kanta/2002/index.html