SWAD members

Prostitutie Informatie Centrum (PIC)

The PIC is a local foundation that works to promote respect for sex workers through education and support for community self-organization. In its own center in the heart of the Red Light District, the PIC offers a cozy and friendly space for non-sex workers (including tourists, clients, students, researchers, social workers, politicians, journalists) to learn more about sex work in the Red Light District and beyond. The PIC also offers the space for fellow sex workers to come together, support each other and organize for their rights.

Pure Nature

Pure Nature is committed to raising awareness in the field of intimacy and sexuality. This ranges from support for personal development to awareness on a national level via radio, TV and social media. Pure Nature has been contributing to the destigmatization of sex work for years.

queer.red

queer.red organizes film screenings and multi-day art and film festivals in order to provide a positive, nuanced and intersectional image of sex workers. queer.red wants to contribute to breaking the stigma surrounding sex work. With film and art, they make voices heard, tell stories, strengthen networks and claim public space with and by the sex worker community.

Red Insight

Red Insight is an online media platform for and by sex workers. The platform offers space for journalistic pieces, personal stories and art around the theme of sex work. Red Insight is a Dutch website but translates all its items into English and invites sex workers to write in a language of their choice. In this way, knowledge about sex work in the Netherlands becomes available to a larger group of sex workers (and other interested parties).

Reimagining Sex Work

Reimagining Sex Work is an initiative that aims to improve the representation of sex workers in the media. The goal is to create guidelines, trainings and visual material in which sex workers recognize themselves and that journalists like to work with. To make the lives of Dutch sex workers a little safer.

SAVE

SAVE is an action group that was created in response to the Dutch government's proposal for the Sex Work Regulation Act (Wrs). SAVE fights against this law by informing other sex workers and the general public about the Wrs and its repercussions. They want to combat violence against and exploitation of sex workers by sharing valuable harm reduction information with other sex workers and speaking out against stigma on sex work.

SekswerkExpertise

SekswerkExpertise is an association and discussion platform. (Ex-)sex workers, aid and service providers, advocates, academics, researchers, lawyers and experts in the field of sex work and human trafficking are affiliated here. SekswerkExpertise works to improve the social, legal and employment position of sex workers. And supports sex work organizations in their fight for human rights and labor rights and against stigmatization and criminalization.

Seksworks

Seksworks is a sounding board group consisting of an enthusiastic group of (ex-)sex workers in Brabant. They stand for a better position of sex workers through destigmatization. Seksworks is for and by sex workers. They meet monthly to share experiences, attend workshops and are regularly asked to give feedback on the municipality's prostitution policy.

SWARP

The Sex Worker Action Research Project, or SWARP for short, aims to find and initiate solutions for and by sex workers that meet the needs and reality of sex workers. By looking for opportunities for positive change at the local level, together with (local) sex workers, operators, customers, social workers, the police, municipality and other chain partners, prejudice and stigma are tackled on both sides.

Trans United Europe

Trans United Europe (TUE) is a sex worker-led foundation of trans people of color. They are committed to trans sex workers BPOC (Black and of color). The work goals are: Policy, Advocacy, Empowerment, Health Care, and Social Welfare.

Transgender Netwerk

Transgender Netwerk is the foundation that is committed to the emancipation of transgender people and their environment. Emancipation of transgender people is still desperately needed, because trans sex workers are extra vulnerable. Combating discrimination against transgender people is one of their most topical priorities. The goal of Transgender Netwerk is to enable a gender-diverse society.

Hiv Vereniging

The Hiv Vereniging is the advocacy organization for everyone in the Netherlands with HIV. They stand up for the rights of people living with HIV and are actively committed to combating (self-)stigma surrounding HIV. The Hiv Vereniging sees that sex workers have to deal with a disproportionate amount of stigma from society around the practice of their profession. They are happy to contribute to reducing this stigma, so that sex workers can practice their profession properly and healthily, without getting stuck in stigmatizing regulations. 

Amsterdam Center for Sex Workers

The Amsterdam Center for Sex Workers (ACS) provides information, advice and assistance to sex workers in the Amsterdam region. The goal of ACS is to promote the self-reliance and emancipation of sex workers. Regardless of their gender, their place of work or residence status in the Netherlands. ACS employs both nurses and social workers.

Belle

Belle focuses on all (ex-)sex workers in the province of Utrecht and has its headquarters in Utrecht. Belle's goal is that every sex worker has the freedom and safety to make their own choices. They are there for all (ex-)sex workers and offer support and guidance to improve the quality of life.

Door2Door

Door2Door is an information and service center for and by sex workers in Rotterdam. Door2Door falls under the umbrella of the Expertisecentrum Seksualiteit, Sekswerk en Mensenhandel (ESSM), which in turn is part of the Humanitas Rotterdam Foundation. The ESSM provides specialized support to sex workers, victims of human trafficking, people living with HIV, LGBTI+ people and others who have questions in the field of sexual and gender diversity.

Fair&Square

Fair&Square is a support center where sex workers can go regardless of origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation or nationality with questions or problems in all areas of life. Fair&Square supports sex workers in a healthy and safe way in their work. In order to optimize the care, they involve the knowledge and insights of sex workers themselves in their work as much as possible. This is to prevent sex workers from being talked about and decided on, without them being involved themselves. In addition, Fair&Square is committed to improving the position of sex workers and combating the stigma of sex work. 

PMW013

PMW013 wants everyone to have a safe and independent existence. Sex workers are supported by PMW013 in various ways. PMW013, together with the Seksworks sounding board group and the employees of the RUPS project, wants to draw regional attention to the position of sex workers. They do this by co-developing information and by contributing ideas from the Seksworks sounding board group in drawing up and implementing the policy for PMW013. PMW013 is part of Sterk Huis.

Punt26

Punt26 is the support center for people of all genders who do or have done sex work, who live or work in Arnhem or surrounding areas. Punt26 helps sex workers with questions and problems in different areas. At Punt26 sex workers can talk about their work and need not fear stigma and judgement. Their core values are respect for human dignity and autonomy, sex work participation, inclusiveness and promoting full decriminalization of sex work. Punt26 strives for the ideal that every sex worker has the freedom and security to make their own choices.

SHOP

SHOP is the  regional knowledge and expertise centre in the policy areas of sex work and human trafficking and is based in The Hague. SHOP offers help and services to (former) sex workers, victims of human trafficking and those involved. SHOP:

• Supports all sex workers in the safe and professional practice of their profession;
• Supports activities of sex workers that aim to improve the position of the profession;
• Actively contributes to the destigmatisation of sex work and sex workers, in particular through creative projects of its information, knowledge and advice centre for sex workers: Spot 46.

Soa Aids Nederland

Soa Aids Nederland is a center of expertise in the field of sexual health. Among other things, the key populations team of Soa Aids Nederland is holistically committed to the health and human rights of sex workers. They do this using the SWIT, the international guideline for establishing effective programs for sex workers. The premise of the SWIT is meaningful sex worker participation. Sex workers are involved in every phase of development of policy and care for sex workers. Soa Aids Nederland is the administrator of the SWAD.