Networks

The PiA Counselling Centre engages in exchange and communication with other organisations, stakeholders and activists at both the regional and international level. This constant exchange supports our diverse work and networking with each other. We contribute our expertise and theoretical content in different places and areas, with the aim of improving the living and working conditions of sex workers.

International, national and European networks

  • Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP)
  • A worldwide network that aims to enforce the rights of sex workers, promote their self-determination and combat violence and discrimination.
  • International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe
  • European network that works to protect the civil and human rights of sex workers and to strengthen acceptance of and respect for these individuals, as well as the organisation of allies.
  • TAMPEP European Network for the Promotion of Rights and Health among Migrant Sex Workers
  • International organisation that supports the implementation of human rights in the context of the health and migration of sex workers in Europe.
  • BUFAS Alliance of German sex worker counselling centres. The project management of the PiA counselling centre acts as an advisor to this network.
  • AG Sexuelle Dienstleistungen
  • Expert committee and sub-working group of the Task Force on Human Trafficking under the direction of the Women’s Department of the Federal Chancellery. The working group consists of 30 representatives of the police unit for human trafficking and prostitution, specialised counselling centres and relevant administrative departments.
  • Pro Sexwork
  • Alliance for the rights of sex workers, consisting of five counselling centres for sex workers and two self-help organisations.
  • Platform Human Rights Salzburg
  • Network of more than 30 NGOs in Salzburg working with vulnerable groups.

Alliance for sex workers

The PIA counselling centre is part of the Pro-Sex-Work Alliance for the rights of sex workers. The alliance is committed to protecting the rights of sex workers in Austria. The Pro-Sex-Work Alliance consists of various organisations, including sexworker.at, Red Edition, maiz (Linz), iBUS (Innsbruck), SXA-Info (Graz), LEFÖ (Vienna) and PIA (Salzburg). Together, we work to combat the stigmatisation and discrimination of sex workers.

In Austria, sex workers are legally required to undergo regular health check-ups. This requirement, which dates back to a law from 1945 to combat sexually transmitted diseases, makes Austria unique worldwide. Organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and others criticise this practice as a violation of human rights.

These mandatory examinations are problematic because they affect only sex workers and are perceived as an invasion of their privacy. They are incomplete checkups that include neither diagnosis nor treatment and thus do not assess the health status of the examinees. The real purpose of these examinations is to protect ‘public health’, i.e. the clients, while the well-being of the sex workers themselves is neglected. The control passes issued in the context of the examinations entail additional risks. They contain personal information such as a photograph and the sex worker’s real name. This carries the risk of outing sex workers and endangers the protection of their personal data.

Negative effects

  • Data protection violations by businesses, online advertising agencies and authorities
  • Misuse and acceptance of control passes by third parties
  • Lack of privacy protection, especially in the case of pregnancies or positive test results
  • Abuse of power by clients and authorities, leading to blackmail or pressure on sex workers
  • Discriminatory and transphobic practices, such as when trans sex workers are refused the mandatory medical examination

The Alliance for Sex Workers* advocates that

  • sex workers shall be respected and valued as people. To achieve this aim, it is necessary to end the social stigma that is responsible for violence, discrimination, paternalism, exclusion and often unjust treatment. The stigma is massively reinforced by criminalisation, special laws, discourse and attitudes that declare sex workers to be victims across the board.
  • that sex work shall be recognised as gainful employment like any other. This includes recognition and equal treatment as a freelance activity, improvement of rights as a self-employed or employed person, abolition of discriminatory laws and regulations.
  • that sex work shall be recognised in society as a skilled and demanding service, and those who work in this field are shown respect, esteem and appreciation.
  • that health awareness and safer sex shall be taken for granted in sex work everywhere, especially among clients of sexual services who often request unsafe practices.
  • that sex work shall take place under conditions that are as self-determined and fair as possible. Gainful employment can only be pursued in a healthy, resource-conserving and satisfying way if it takes place under conditions that are as fair as possible and free from violence and coercion. Exploitation is an integral part of all wage labour, but the fight for better working conditions is possible and important.
  • that violence and sexual assault against sex workers shall be socially ostracised as violence against any other person. The right to sexual self-determination is a human right. Sex workers are responsible, capable individuals and must be taken seriously as such. In the debate about sex work, the discussion must be with them and not about them.
  • Measures to combat human trafficking and to protect victims must be taken without compromising or jeopardising the rights of sex workers. Human trafficking and sex work are not the same and must therefore be treated and discussed separately. In many cases, these two areas are mixed up, which is not helpful in terms of protecting victims or improving working conditions.