When I was incarcerated I was put in touch with SWOP Behind Bars. This amazing organization put me in touch with people that didn’t recoil from me because I was a criminalized sex worker and had in fact been charged in Alaska for sex trafficking. I received letters from so many supportive people. Keep in mind, just reading a few kind words on a difficult day makes all the difference when you are behind bars. I was sent the newsletter and was lucky enough to be sent some great books to enjoy as well (I love reading).

If you want to make a difference, consider becoming a penpal to an incarcerated sex worker!

Contact SWOP Behind Bars to learn more. SWOP Behind Bars has done some amazing work!

“Since the inception of SWOP Behind Bars (SBB) in May 2016, SWOP Behind Bars has sent out over 25,000 newsletters to prisoners in 14 states. We have coordinated over 2,000 pen pals. We have coordinated more than 20,000 books through Amazon Wishlists, 3,000 book donations to prison libraries, and approximately 450 GED self-study guides to prisoners and prison libraries. We have funded 12 college level scholarships and presented at human rights conferences and rallies. “

And speaking of penpals – Meet Bella!

One of my penpals that I have been able to stay in contact with and meet in person! I recently visited her in Rhode Island and learned so much about the amazing work COYOTE is doing! She is a dynamo and puts her all into doing the work to change things so sex workers can be safe!

Listen to Bella Robinson – Executive Director COYOTE RI – As she talks about decriminalizing sex work.  Interview with the Matt Allen radio show.

Founded in 2010 Coyote RI (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) is a local and national coalition of sex workers, former sex workers, and trafficking victims, working together with supporting networks for an improved understanding of sexual policies and its human, social and political impacts of criminalization surrounding global policies in sex work.  Our priorities are to build local leadership to effect national and worldwide shifts by constructively advocating for sex workers’ human, health, labor, and civil rights. We commit ourselves to the tenets of human rights and base our foundations upon equality, empowerment, and agency, that bring those voices into constructive and productive leadership roles in the sex worker rights movements and umbrella issues unique to sex work. We advocate for the full decriminalization of all forms of consensual sex work. We envision a future when we can all, as former and current sex workers access equal protection under the law or other public services without discrimination. To that end, we work towards changing the social perception and reducing stigma through educational outreach.

Help sustain their work to initiate harm reduction models, advocate for the health and safety of sex workers and to support sex workers who are in crisis by clicking here!