The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (IDEVASW) is more than a date on the calendar. For many in the sex work community, it’s a sacred moment — a time to grieve, remember, speak out, and reconnect. In 2025, the need for this reflection feels sharper than ever.
As the world continues to debate our rights, legislate our bodies, and ignore our voices, sex workers across the globe are saying the same thing: we are still here, and we’re not going anywhere. IDEVASW is about more than mourning — it’s about power, resistance, and radical hope.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on what this day means in 2025 — and how we carry its legacy forward.
Why We Remember
IDEVASW began in 2003 as a response to violence. But it was never just about mourning — it was about organising.
The day was launched by sex workers and allies in the US following the sentencing of Gary Ridgway, a serial killer who admitted to targeting sex workers because he believed “no one would miss them.” The violence was horrific — but the silence that followed was what made it unbearable.
Every year since, sex workers have used 17 December to say: our lives matter.
We remember because the world too often forgets. From police brutality to hate crimes, from legal neglect to social stigma, violence against sex workers remains a global crisis — and those lost are still overwhelmingly those with multiple marginalised identities: trans women, Black and brown workers, migrants, drug users, those experiencing homelessness.
This Year’s Theme: Remembering, Resisting, Empowering
In 2025, the IDEVASW theme of “Remembering, Resisting, Empowering” resonates deeply.
- Remembering means honouring our dead. Saying their names. Refusing to let their stories be buried under shame, blame or bureaucracy.
- Resisting means challenging the policies, systems and social norms that enable violence — from criminalisation to client shaming to online censorship.
- Empowering means uplifting sex worker-led solutions. Celebrating our resilience. Reclaiming our narratives. And building a world where safety isn’t conditional on
This year’s theme reminds us that mourning and action are not opposites. They’re part of the same fight.
Stories That Spark Action
It would be impossible to list every name we’ve lost – because there are so many, and because not all were even counted. But here are just a few whose stories have sparked real conversations and campaigns:
- Vanessa Campos, a trans sex worker and migrant from Peru, was murdered in Paris in 2018 while working in a park after being denied safer indoor options due to legal restrictions. Her death mobilised protests across Europe demanding sex worker safety and decriminalisation.
- Shakira Washington, a Black trans woman in the US, was killed in 2004. Her murder remains unsolved. Shakira’s story is often cited in calls for improved protection and justice for trans sex workers of colour.
- Marsha P. Johnson, while not officially recorded as a sex worker at the time of her death, was a known figure in New York’s LGBTQ+ and survival sex work community. Her unexplained death in 1992 continues to raise questions about violence, neglect, and systemic failures.
In the UK, names like Emily Longley, April Jones, and more recently Bianca Williams, who was targeted and abused by police while working, continue to illustrate the compounded harms of racism, misogyny and criminalisation.
These names matter. They represent a fraction of the lives lost – but also the resilience of those who continue to fight.
From Memorial to Movement
IDEVASW isn’t a passive event. It’s a launchpad.
In 2025, we’ve seen global momentum for sex worker rights unlike ever before:
- In New Zealand, decriminalisation continues to show strong outcomes around worker safety and labour protections.
- In Scotland, new debates have reopened about repealing regressive laws after rising violence against street-based workers.
- In South Africa and parts of South America, grassroots movements are gaining political traction, showing the power of local organising.
Online, hashtags like #IDEVASW2025 and #DecrimNow are trending globally. From digital vigils to panel events, sex workers are not only remembering — they’re educating, pushing policy, and demanding respect.
What Can You Do?
If you’re not a sex worker, IDEVASW is still your responsibility. Here’s how you can show up:
- Listen to sex workers. Follow sex worker-led orgs. Share their posts. Centre their voices.
- Challenge. Don’t stay quiet when someone makes a joke or spreads misinformation.
- Support. Learn the difference between legalisation and decrim — and why full decriminalisation is safer for everyone.
- Donate to mutual aid funds or sex worker organisations doing life-saving work.
- Remember the names of those lost. Say them out loud. Light a candle. Make their stories part of yours.
The Takeaway
IDEVASW is a time to grieve — but it’s also a time to gather power.
In 2025, as sex workers continue to face systemic violence, criminalisation and erasure, this day reminds us that we are more than survivors. We are leaders, organisers, protectors, and change-makers.
Whether you’re a client, ally or worker yourself — this is your call to remember, resist, and empower. Not just on 17 December, but every day after.
For more articles on sex work, safety, empowerment and rights, explore the Vivastreet blog.
