December 17 Day 2: Why We Need December 17

The Roots of Violence

On December 17 sex workers come together across the world to mourn the ones they lost. Violence against sex workers doesn’t just happen in a vacuum. It is created and sustained by the systems around us - criminalization, stigma, and neglect.

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When sex work is criminalized, it forces workers into the shadows, often without legal protections or safe ways to report violence. Fear of arrest, deportation, or child removal keeps many silent, even when they are victims of assault or exploitation. Stigma adds another layer, painting sex workers as disposable, immoral, or somehow deserving of harm. Too often, when sex workers are murdered, assaulted, or disappeared, the news cycle dismisses them as cautionary tales instead of people whose lives were valuable. This systemic erasure normalizes violence and makes justice an exception, not the rule.

From Individual Loss to Collective Responsibility

Every December 17, we speak the names of those who have been lost. They are not numbers or statistics - they are mothers, sisters, brothers, daughters, lovers, neighbors, and friends. Each candle lit is not only a memorial but a demand that their deaths be taken seriously. But remembrance is not enough. If we only grieve without addressing why the violence continues, we risk repeating history year after year. The responsibility does not lie with individual sex workers to “stay safe” - it lies with society to dismantle the laws, practices, and attitudes that make safety impossible in the first place.

Shifting the Narrative

One of the most powerful things December 17 does is shift the narrative about sex work and violence. Violence is not an inevitable part of sex work - it is a result of systemic conditions. When we challenge criminalization, stigma, and exclusion, we are not just advocating for sex workers - we are advancing human rights. Talking openly about these truths disrupts the myths that keep sex workers unsafe: the myth that “rescue” through police raids prevents violence, the myth that sex work and trafficking are the same, the myth that violence is just part of the job. None of these are true. What keeps people safe is autonomy, respect, and access to resources without fear.

How You Can Take Action Today

• Educate: Share articles, research, or first-hand stories from sex worker-led organizations about why decriminalization and safety go hand-in-hand.

• Speak Out: Challenge stigma in your own circles. If someone dismisses violence against sex workers, push back - remind them that no one deserves violence, ever.

• Remember: If you attend a vigil, write down the names spoken. Share them, say them aloud, and keep their memory alive beyond December 17.

• Support: Donate to or volunteer with grassroots organizations led by sex workers who are doing the work of creating safety every day.

  
  

Closing Reflection

December 17 matters because violence against sex workers is not inevitable - it is preventable. But prevention requires change: in law, in culture, and in how we treat people whose labor challenges outdated moral codes. To honor the lives we’ve lost, we must do more than remember; we must resist. Each of us has a role in dismantling the conditions that allow violence to persist. Together, we can move toward a future where sex workers are safe, respected, and free to live without fear.