Two representatives from the International Union of Sex Workers participated in a panel discussion at the Anarchist Bookfair. The other panelists speeches can be found here.

Note: There is no spokesperson for the International Union of Sex Workers. As a feminist, non-hierarchical organisation, the IUSW wishes to present a diversity of sex worker voices, so a number of IUSW activists speak to the press and to the public on issues relating to the sex industry and adult entertainment. They speak from their own experience and their knowledge of the industry. Unless otherwise stated, articles by IUSW activists represent their view as individuals, not those of the organisation.

Each individual decides for themselves the work they undertake and their degree of self-disclosure: most IUSW activists have experienced direct or indirect slander, libel, misrepresentation and threats as a result of their activism. As a result, we advise activists to record interviews, speaking engagements etc. to prevent misrepresentation, whether purposeful or accidental.

Catherine Stephens (IUSW)
I’m really glad to be here today, and I’m grateful for being invited – although the sex industry is much discussed, and many organisations have a vested interest in those discussions, there is frequent opposition to having actual, working sex workers present. Regrettably, some organisations, several of which describe themselves as feminist, actively pursue a campaign of exclusion of people who work in the sex industry. In addition, those same organisations try to undermine and prevent sex workers self organising by making personal attacks on activists, trying – sometimes successfully – to get venues to cancel bookings for events, produce documents distorting what people say, threatening legal action to make free speech very risky and so on. I and other people have personal experience of all of those things.
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