GRIOTS REPUBLIC - An Urban Black Travel Mag - March 2016

effectively protect those involved. The World
Health Organization, Amnesty International,
Open Society Foundation, UNAIDS, Global
Alliance Against the Traffic of Women
back full decriminalisation as the best
model to support sex workers in protecting
themselves.
We at SWAI are finding strength in our allies
to slow the progress of the Sexual Offences
Bill, and by spending time interacting with
groups with whom we should be aligned,
shedding light on the realities of sex workers’
experiences and needs. LGBT, feminist,
migrant rights, abortion rights and HIV
support groups and other groups concerned
with bodily autonomy must step forward.
Sex workers are a disparate, marginalised,
varied, and vulnerable population. We are
also adaptive, robust, humorous, and tough
as nails. The stigma that makes us further
targets for violence is slowly waning, and
despite a vocal minority in power pushing for
further criminalisation of our work, overall
attitudes are shifting.
Ireland’s recent worldwide leadership in
marriage equality has shown the country’s
ability to supports its citizens’ quality of life.
You only need to talk to people around you to
discover their humanity. Ireland is a country
rich for the spirit of its people. Come for the
banter and the craic. Stay as long as you like,
and go ahead and treat yourself to some sex
with a professional.
Kate McGrew is a sex worker, singer, and Irish
reality tv star working with SWAI to decriminalize
sex work.
SWAI is an alliance of sex workers, ex-sex workers,
health and social providers and researchers,
working together to advocate for and promote
the health, safety, civil rights and right to selfdetermination
of female, male and transgender
sex workers in Ireland. For more information, visit
their website.