May 1 International Labour Day is an International celebration which workers gather together to fight for workers’ right and interest, plus the promotion of the social movement.

This year, AFRO has joined the May Day rally organised by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions at the Victoria Park, with slogan “Resist to Economic Tsunami, anti-exploitation, support to the means of livelihood”. Apart from workers from the workers’ unions, there were more from the religious, women, youth, community, migrant workers and student groups, which made it 3, 500 participants in total, who raised their concerns and demand for more protection and security policies from the government under current severe economic circumstances. 

We believe that sex work is work. Just like any other workers, sex workers’ earnings are greatly affected by both inner and outer environment. At the same time, the current legal framework has turned sex workers into a dangerous environment, in which violence, robbery and refuse of payment by clients is nothing new. As a result, we demand the immediate decriminalisation of sex work, and protection for sex workers same as all other workers and self-employed persons.

You may still remember that a number of sex workers have been murdered since last April. Some of these cases may be over, but it does not imply that our job is done. From May last year, we have had regular meetings with Crime Prevention Bureau of the Police and tried to facilitate its communication with the sex industry. On 20 May, 4 representatives from Crime Prevention Bureau came to AFRO’s centre and gave us a talk on sex work related laws, proper procedures for law enforcement, rights of arrested persons etc. About 30 persons attended the event, including more than 10 sex workers, some of our volunteers and our staff team.

We hope that the presentation by the police can help enhance sex workers’ understanding on proper procedures for law enforcement and the rights that they have when dealing with the police, so that they will no longer tolerate any police abuse in the future.