Sex Workers will be hunted in Tampa during the annual Super Bowl Festivities under the guise of rescuing sex trafficking victims.
Last year, dozens of Sex Workers were arrested and although many were released without having to post bail, the hardship of court fines and fees, loss of personal items like clothes, cell phones and the money that was essentially stolen from them by the arresting officers has made it difficult for them to survive - much less thrive!
This year we will be mobilizing our community of local and remote volunteers, to not only bail Sex Workers out of jail, but to make sure they have transportation, clothing, food and the ability to communicate with family and friends. We will be providing legal support in addition to working with the various public defenders offices, and raising our voice to the media and the anti-trafficking organizations that prey on our marginalized and stigmatized community.
We can't do it without the assistance of our allies and we appreciate your support. SWOP Behind Bars has a documented history of working from the inside of the criminal justice system using the outside voices of our people! Let us continue to show the people in Florida that we need RIGHTS - not RESCUE, more than ever!