AP Photo/Christophe Ena
In mid-November, I attended a RedTraSex meeting to review “Advances, challenges and strategies of the RedTraSex: strengthening sustainability and advancing the recognition of our rights.” RedTraSex is the Red de Mujeres Trabajadoras Sexuales de Latinamérica y el Caribe (Network of Sex Workers of Latin America and the Caribbean.) RedTraSex, on the cusp of celebrating its 20th anniversary, is made up of organizations from fifteen countries - Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Dominican Republic.
The UN Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS defines sex workers as “a group of individuals defined as female, male or transgender adults and young persons who receive money or goods in exchange for sexual services on either a regular or occasional basis.” Most countries in South and Central America do not explicitly criminalize sex work. Yet, as many speakers during the meeting stressed, this doesn’t equate with freedom from stigma, discrimination or police harassment. Indeed, context is everything.
