October 2024

• SWEAR held a party to launch The Whoracle: a handbook for WA sex workers. The night was a great success, with nearly 30 sex workers attending. The handbook is for sex workers only, and is available in hard copy and online. Contact SWEAR for more info.

February 2024

• SWEAR wrote a submission in support of the QLD Decrim Bill. You can read our submission here.

November 2023

• Emma and Brandy flew to Sydney as WA delegates for the annual Scarlet Alliance National Forum; 3 days of workshops, panels and events for sex workers and sex worker organisations.

  Read Scarlet Alliance’s 2022-23 Annual Report here, which includes SWEAR’s annual report.

October 2023

• DecrimWA delegates spoke at the annual WA Labor Conference, where Labor and union reps voted on and passed a resolution to be included in the WA Labor 2023 Party Platform:

  “WA Labor will undertake meaningful engagement with sex workers, to review sections 190 and 191 of the Code, with a view to decriminalizing sex work in line with New South Wales and Victoria.”

  WA Labor also passed motions to recognise sex work as work, support the development of WHS guidelines for the sex industry, and support the implementation of anti-discrimination protections for sex workers.

  This is huge news for WA sex workers, and SWEAR is so proud to have been a part of making this happen.

  You can view the added motions on page 106 and the resolution on page 243 of the WA Labor 2023 Party Platform.

May 2023

• SWEAR held the first round of peer consultation for the RUF/SWEAR sex worker handbook project.

  We were able to consult with over 30 peers via an in-person event, peer outreach to CaLD establishments, and an online survey. The feedback will inform the handbook’s content and design.

February 2023

• SWEAR wrote a submission in response to the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia’s review into WA sexual offence laws. Read our submission here.

November 2022

• SWEAR marched with Magenta and DecrimWA in the 2022 Perth Pride Parade on Saturday 26th November. Great turnout by peers and the general public.

October 2022

• SWEAR has been successful in securing a grant for the 2023/24 period via the Red Umbrella Fund!

  This grant will fund a 100% peer-led project to create a sex worker handbook which will be available in hard copy and online; with all content consultations and contributions involving WA sex workers.

February 2022

• The Bill to decriminalise sex work in Victoria has been passed by state parliament! The Bill will be rolled out in stages over the next 2 years, with full implementation to be completed by late 2023.

January 2022

• SWEAR Vice President Brandy spoke to Christine Layton from ABC Radio Perth about the impacts of the latest outbreak of COVID-19 on WA sex workers.

  You can listen to the segment here.

November 2021

• SWEAR will be co-hosting the Perth Hub at the 2021 Scarlet Alliance National Forum alongside Magenta WA.

  Registrations are now open for this peer-only event.

• SWEAR marched with the Magenta WA float in the 2021 Perth Pride Parade at Gloucester Park in East Perth.

October 2021

• SWEAR WA was a finalist and placed as Runner-Up at the 2021 ConnectGroups WA Peer Support Group Awards, in the Online/Facebook category.

• SWEAR co-hosted the SWIG (Sex Worker Issues Group) peer only party. It was a great success with over 30 peers attending to network, dance, and find out about SWIGs recent decriminalisation campaign work.

August 2021

• SWEAR made a submission to the Victorian Government’s Discussion Paper on the decriminalisation of sex work. You can read the Consultation Summary here.

February 2021

January 2021

• Scarlet Alliance has released a Briefing Paper on the full decriminalisation of Sex Work. You can view it here.

• 5 of our SWEAR peer educators completed the highly regarded 2-day Mental Health First Aid Training Course on 20th-21st January - they are now Accredited Mental Health First Aiders; having learnt the skills to apply evidence-based knowledge in order to assist someone experiencing a mental health problem or crisis.

December 2020

• SWEAR President Emma spoke about the intersectionality between feminism and sex work at the NOWSA Women’s Conference, held by UWA.

September 2020

• SWEAR was successful in securing a ConnectGroups ‘Give it Forward’ Grant for the second year in a row! This funding will cover the SWEAR WA website and domain hosting costs for another year, as well as renewing annual subscriptions to essential admin software utilised by SWEAR.

July 2020

• SWEAR President Emma, along with Committee members Brandy & Kate, attended the Scarlet Alliance 2020 Strategic Planning Meeting; to provide input and feedback that will help shape the upcoming year’s work undertaken by our national peak sex worker organisation.

May 2020

• SWEAR has created the ‘Covid-19 Resource Hub’, a dedicated page on our website, containing tons of resources to assist WA sex workers through the pandemic. Click HERE.

• SWEAR has been successful in securing funding through the ConnectGroups 2020 Pay It Forward Grant program. This funding will enable SWEAR Peer Educators to complete accredited Mental Health First Aid Training, as well as completing the ‘Opening Closets LGBTQI+ Mental Health Training’ program provided by Living Proud WA. A huge Thanks to ConnectGroups Support Groups Assoc. WA Inc., for assisting SWEAR WA to secure funding for a second year in a row!

April 2020

• A resource has been put together by Scarlet Alliance, in collaboration with SWEAR and its other state member orgs, on Harm Reduction for Sex Workers during Covid-19. The resource can be found in the Scarlet Alliance Red Book Online here. There are also Chinese and Korean translations available.

  * * SWEAR acknowledges that not all sex workers can afford to take time off work, therefore we strongly recommend this resource for those continuing sex work during Covid-19. * *

• Empire Industry Finance (a peer run & owned Australian accountancy service) has released a comprehensive Financial Assistance Guide for Sex Workers during Covid-19 - including info about government benefits, tax breaks, early superannuation withdrawal advice, and more. To download the Guide, click here.

• SWEAR, along with Scarlet Alliance and its other state member organisations, wrote a joint submission to Australian PM Scott Morrison, & also sent it to relevant Heads of State, regarding the impact and response for Australian sex workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

  Unfortunately, SWEAR received only a generic response letter from the WA Premier Mark McGowan. Nonetheless, SWEAR will continue to support our peers, especially those who have been negatively impacted, as this global situation unfolds.

  A condensed version of the joint submission can be found on Scarlet Alliances website here.

• April 6th - SWEAR, along with Scarlet Alliance and its other state member organisations, have put together a comprehensive state-by-state list of the current Restrictions & Directions affecting sex workers in Australia during Covid-19. The list can be found here.

March 2020

• Scarlet Alliance (Australia’s national peak sex worker organisation), along with the state and territory member organisation (including SWEAR), have organised an online fundraiser for sex workers affected by the Covid-19 situation, who are otherwise ineligible for the implemented Covid-19 financial assistance measures. 100% of monies donated goes to sex workers. You can donate by clicking here.

• March 24th - The Federal Government has introduced measures to reduce the risk of the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia. As well as social distancing measures for the general public, and the closure of ‘non-essential’ businesses such as cafes, restaurants, beauty salons, cinemas, sporting venues and so on, the closures also extend to: ‘ strip clubs, brothels & sex on premises venues’ nationwide. SWEAR aims to post updates on this situation as often as possible.

February 2020

• SWEAR WA is now a member of My Community Directory - an Australian online directory for local community services & health organisations. Find our listing here.
  

• Feb 27th - Tax 101 for Sex Workers - hosted by peer-run accountancy firm Empire Industry Finance, held at SHQ. Emma & Brandy from SWEAR attended this super informative tax workshop held especially for sex workers trading as individuals/sole traders, with info about Tax Time, GST registration, superannuation, getting home loans and more! Huge thanks to Empire Industry Finance - their website details can be found on our ‘Links’ page here.
  

January 2020

• Jan 31st - The SWEAR WA Commitee and peers attended Guerilla Fest’s ‘Charging For It’, held at The Brass Monkey in Northbridge - a laugh-a-minute stand-up comedy show by fellow peer Bella Green, who told us all about her good, bad, and sometimes ugly, but always hilarious, experiences in sex work!

• SWEAR WA has created 3 new info sheets  - check them out here!

December 2019

• Northern Territory Parliament passed the NT Sex Industry Bill 2019 - this means all forms of sex work are now decriminalised in the NT!

• Dec 17th - International End Violence Against Sex Workers Day

• Dec 18th - SWEAR/Magenta Xmas Catch-up (PEER-ONLY EVENT)

• SWEAR WA made a submission to the NT Government’s Economic Policy Scrutiny Committee, recommending amendments to the NT Sex Industry Bill 2019. The submission can be read here.

• SWEAR WA co-signed the ‘Joint Position Statement: a call for a rights-based framework for sexuality in the NDIS’, led by Touching Base Inc., People With Disability Australia, and 40 other national rights organisations. The statement can be viewed here.

• SWEAR WA and Magenta/SWOPWA held the Perth peer-only memorial for Michaela Dunn, who lost her life in the August 2019 Sydney stabbings.

• SWEAR WA was successful in securing a grant worth close to $7000, thanks to the ConnectGroups ‘Give it Forward’ grant program via LotteryWest. This grant allocated funds direct to vendors, to cover the costs of website re-design & hosting, I.T. equipment, and promotional materials for SWEAR WA.

• SWEAR WA hosted its July Ho-Down

• SWEAR WA hosted its May Ho-Down, with its largest turnout to date

• SWEAR WA hosted its first daytime Ho-Down Picnic, which had a great turnout

• Emma delivered a submission on behalf of SWEAR WA to the Northern Territory Attorney-General’s office, in response to the discussion paper release, regarding the proposed NT Sex Industry Bill 2019. This submission is yet to be published on the Dept for the NT Attorney-General’s website.