- Ties between major sporting events and sex trafficking is a myth – November 16th, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 11/15/2023
Contact: contact@victoriaparra.com
Victoria Parra, President of International Sex Worker Foundation for Art, Culture, and Education (ISWFACE)
Sex Worker Groups Challenges Media and Law Enforcement Tactics Amid Formula 1 Event
Las Vegas, NV — As the city of Las Vegas prepares to host the upcoming Formula 1 race, a significant sporting event that is expected to attract thousands of visitors, the Stop The Raids urges the local government and law enforcement agencies to reconsider their approach to combating sex trafficking and sex work.
Contrary to popular belief and prevailing media narratives, there is scant evidence to suggest that large sporting events like Formula 1 contribute to a rise in sex trafficking. Studies have debunked this myth, indicating that increases in sex work during these events are often of a consensual nature.
“Rather than protect vulnerable individuals, police stings typically serve to further marginalize sex workers and even arrest sex trafficking victims in the criminal justice system. These sting operations do little to address the root causes of sex trafficking and instead stigmatize and criminalize marginalized populations”, said Maxine Doogan, organizer for the Erotic Service Providers Union
The International Sex Worker Foundation for Art, Culture, and Education (ISWFACE) believes that the financial and human resources spent on these stings would be more effectively used in social welfare programs. “Police stings routinely entrap both sex workers and sex trafficking victims, introducing both groups to the criminal justice system. Resources used to conduct these stings would be better used towards serving the community,” says ISWFACE President Victoria Parra. These programs could include healthcare, housing, and educational services for vulnerable populations, which would contribute to reducing the factors that allow for exploitative situations.
Stop The Raids
Stop The Raids is a coalition of sex worker rights groups who have come together to address the unwarranted targeting of sex workers during large sporting events. ###
2023 F1 & 2024 Super Bowl Stop The Raids Committee Members
LV Red Umbrella Collective
A grassroots network led by and for sex workers in Las Vegas offering support through mutual aid, community events, and political activism.
ESPLERP
Sex Workers and Erotic Service Provider Legal, Educational and Research Project. Peer-led training, organizing, and advocacy for the erotic service community.
