Monday 3 August 2015

Media Release - Melbourne 2015 Fesival of Sex Work

Melbourne 2015 Festival of Sex Work

Media Release

Vixen Collective, Victoria's peer only sex worker organisation, is for the third time running the Festival of Sex Work, from Friday August 7th until Sunday August 9th 2015.

The Festival is a celebration of the lives, skills, culture and community of sex workers, and will include a number of different events. Some of these events will be for sex workers only, whilst others will be open to the public.

The Festival of Sex Work is being organised by Vixen Collective, a group run by and for sex workers in Victoria, and the Festival organising committee is 100% comprised of current and former sex workers.

Vixen Collective member, Rahni Bell, says: "It's a chance for sex workers to come together as a community, have some fun, celebrate talents and skill sharing from our colleagues and escape from the stereotypes we, as sex workers, are so often subject to in everyday life"

Despite the fact that Melbourne was the first place in the world to fund a sex worker organisation, the current situation in Victoria is that government funding goes to services that have a vested interest in portraying sex workers as a health issue or as exploited victims in need of rescuing.

Much of the discourse and decision making about sex work in Victoria excludes sex workers. The Festival of Sex Work provides an opportunity for Victorian sex workers to challenge stereotypes and to have their voices heard.

"Sex workers are so often talked about, but not listened to as a community. Sex workers refuse to be silenced and the Festival of Sex Work is a chance for Victorian sex workers to speak up about their own lives and work." Vixen Collective member, Riley Alexander.

The Festival of Sex Work is created solely by the volunteer efforts and resources of sex workers themselves, working with no corporate sponsorship or government funding.

The Festival of Sex Work aims to be a safe space for sex workers and their allies, one that protects the human rights and respects the diverse perspectives and experiences of sex workers.

The public events for the Festival will be held at the Courthouse Hotel in North Melbourne and will include a public 'Ask A Sex Worker A Question' panel, a 'Festival of Sex Work Film Night' (screening films made by and featuring sex workers), and a sex worker Art Exhibition.

For more information please visit our website:


Festival of Sex Work - http://festivalofsexwork.blogspot.com.au/

Vixen Collective - http://vixencollective.blogspot.com.au/

For further media information or interviews, please contact: Jane Green, Media Liaison: 0420 887 845


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