Comments on: What’s Wrong with Helping? Another example from the world of sex work http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work Dr Laura Agustín on Migration, Trafficking and Sex Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:05:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Robbie http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-1703 Robbie Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:54:51 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-1703 Good night, Happy April Fool's Day!! For the first time in many years, a an old man traveled from his rural town to the city to attend a movie. After buying his ticket, he stopped to purchase some popcorn. Handing the attendant $1.50, he couldn't help but comment, "The last time I came to the movies, popcorn was only 15 cents." "Well, sir," the attendant replied with a grin, "You're really going to enjoy yourself. We have sound now" Happy April Fool's Day! Good night, Happy April Fool’s Day!!

For the first time in many years, a an old man traveled from his rural town to the city to attend a movie. After buying his ticket, he stopped to purchase some popcorn.
Handing the attendant $1.50, he couldn’t help but comment, “The last time I came to the movies, popcorn was only 15 cents.”
“Well, sir,” the attendant replied with a grin, “You’re really going to enjoy yourself. We have sound now”

Happy April Fool’s Day!

]]> By: Anna-Louise Crago http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-1543 Anna-Louise Crago Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:33:56 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-1543 Hello, I am not sure who the "Stella" who posted is. I am Anna-Louise Crago, coordinator of outreach and clinical services at Stella, the community organization by and for sex workers in Montreal (www.chezstella.org). We have been partners and have great respect for the work of Empower and APNSW over many years. They have achieved tremendous things under sex worker leadership and as part of sex worker mass movements. As such, they should be inspirations not only to other sex workers but to any one in the health and human rights fields. Like both those organizations (and their various members, including Liz Hilton and Andrew Hunter), we believe the leadership of sex worker groups and other evidence-based programming are key to fighting HIV. Anna-Louise Anna-Louise Hello,
I am not sure who the “Stella” who posted is. I am Anna-Louise Crago, coordinator of outreach and clinical services at Stella, the community organization by and for sex workers in Montreal (www.chezstella.org).
We have been partners and have great respect for the work of Empower and APNSW over many years. They have achieved tremendous things under sex worker leadership and as part of sex worker mass movements. As such, they should be inspirations not only to other sex workers but to any one in the health and human rights fields. Like both those organizations (and their various members, including Liz Hilton and Andrew Hunter), we believe the leadership of sex worker groups and other evidence-based programming are key to fighting HIV.
Anna-Louise
Anna-Louise

]]> By: Settor73 http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-1229 Settor73 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:31:27 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-1229 What difference are you making in your community? , What difference are you making in your community? ,

]]> By: Helena Torre http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-307 Helena Torre Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:27:05 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-307 There is a strong belief here in representative democracy. If voting or auditing changed anything or made financial dealings Ok it would be stopped. For me it is funny to see Australia faith in that process. Maybe these things work in Australia. Stella even does not support recognised leadership even where sex workers rights issue is agreed. What 'broad spectrum' of opinion is she talking about ? Poor sex workers who want to be rescued ? Ones who support UNFPA? Maybe Stella is really a UN spy. There is a strong belief here in representative democracy. If voting or auditing changed anything or made financial dealings Ok it would be stopped. For me it is funny to see Australia faith in that process. Maybe these things work in Australia.

Stella even does not support recognised leadership even where sex workers rights issue is agreed. What ‘broad spectrum’ of opinion is she talking about ? Poor sex workers who want to be rescued ? Ones who support UNFPA? Maybe Stella is really a UN spy.

]]> By: Gulnara http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-304 Gulnara Fri, 26 Dec 2008 03:33:28 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-304 Exactly what I thought. And more: Big donors like GFATM, with their demand 'to cover' sex workers or others 'by services', use the same 'model of help', implicitly. There is no place for people in their local programs. That's why they are not able to demonstrate adequate results in countries. It is obvious if you look at the diagram with three curves: one for funds available in country, one for HIV prevalence, and last one for mortality, year by year. From small and poor countries like Kyrgyzstan the GF looks like Global Fiction. Another example is AFEW supported by Dutch (!) government. So, we can add: help = rescue = rehabilitation = 'services providing' in GF etc. understanding. Exactly what I thought. And more: Big donors like GFATM, with their demand ‘to cover’ sex workers or others ‘by services’, use the same ‘model of help’, implicitly. There is no place for people in their local programs. That’s why they are not able to demonstrate adequate results in countries. It is obvious if you look at the diagram with three curves: one for funds available in country, one for HIV prevalence, and last one for mortality, year by year. From small and poor countries like Kyrgyzstan the GF looks like Global Fiction. Another example is AFEW supported by Dutch (!) government. So, we can add: help = rescue = rehabilitation = ‘services providing’ in GF etc. understanding.

]]> By: peripheries » Blog Archive » MSM in Cambodia: A personal stake? http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-159 peripheries » Blog Archive » MSM in Cambodia: A personal stake? Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:54:00 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-159 [...] no matter how much that would irritate or anger (foreign) consultants (for a similar view, read this). This goes far beyond gimmicky empowerment. It is about leadership.  Email This Post Rate [...] [...] no matter how much that would irritate or anger (foreign) consultants (for a similar view, read this). This goes far beyond gimmicky empowerment. It is about leadership.  Email This Post Rate [...]

]]> By: js http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-108 js Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:58:25 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-108 very important article. These issues are relevant outside this arena. Its relevant for any poor community. NGOs, government agencies and other organisations always try to speak FOR poor people. Poor people should be allowed to speak for themselves. see: abahlali.org antieviction.org.za very important article. These issues are relevant outside this arena. Its relevant for any poor community. NGOs, government agencies and other organisations always try to speak FOR poor people. Poor people should be allowed to speak for themselves.

see:
abahlali.org
antieviction.org.za

]]> By: Thailand: Letter from Empower to UNFPA « The Struggle for the City http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-102 Thailand: Letter from Empower to UNFPA « The Struggle for the City Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:57:51 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-102 [...] Tagged empower, sex work, UNFPA Border Thinking on Migration, Culture, Economy and Sex [...] [...] Tagged empower, sex work, UNFPA Border Thinking on Migration, Culture, Economy and Sex [...]

]]> By: empower http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-101 empower Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:42:38 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-101 Thanks Stella. Are you Stella the Canadian sex worker org or Stella someone else? ...not so important...but just curious. The question of filtering or gate keeping is a good question that should always be asked. At the same time its polite and respectful to find a way to acknowledge the strengths of the sex workers you are concerned about. For Empower the people who monitor and question this most regularly and efficiently are us, the sex worker leaders and sex worker members of Empower. For 25 years we have been recognized as one of the strongest sex worker organizations in the world and this would not have been possible if we were working through filters and foreign mouthpieces. Like us or not... we are Empower and we are the largest representative of women doing sex work in Thailand....its good of you to question the process but rest assured the its us...we do find it a bit insulting when people try to imagine we are not here, or that we are being co-opted or manipulated by others. We understand the politics as well as any white person. Have you never tried a small hot Thai chilli .... much sharper than an old Australian potato! The other thing we want people to consider is that Empower is a Thai organization. Naturally most of our important advocacy takes place nationally. Others do not see the daily ongoing work of Empower. Of course at international level we operate in English but we know many of you don't understand Thai or our kind of English so well (ha ha ha) therefore Liz and others translate for us. This is a tiny part of our work so don't let it fool you...what we say and do in English is just the tip of the iceberg. Please look at our website Thai and English! Still thanks for worrying about us...but its not necessary! Sweet Smart Strong Sexy Empower Thanks Stella. Are you Stella the Canadian sex worker org or Stella someone else? …not so important…but just curious. The question of filtering or gate keeping is a good question that should always be asked. At the same time its polite and respectful to find a way to acknowledge the strengths of the sex workers you are concerned about. For Empower the people who monitor and question this most regularly and efficiently are us, the sex worker leaders and sex worker members of Empower. For 25 years we have been recognized as one of the strongest sex worker organizations in the world and this would not have been possible if we were working through filters and foreign mouthpieces. Like us or not… we are Empower and we are the largest representative of women doing sex work in Thailand….its good of you to question the process but rest assured the its us…we do find it a bit insulting when people try to imagine we are not here, or that we are being co-opted or manipulated by others. We understand the politics as well as any white person. Have you never tried a small hot Thai chilli …. much sharper than an old Australian potato! The other thing we want people to consider is that Empower is a Thai organization. Naturally most of our important advocacy takes place nationally. Others do not see the daily ongoing work of Empower. Of course at international level we operate in English but we know many of you don’t understand Thai or our kind of English so well (ha ha ha) therefore Liz and others translate for us. This is a tiny part of our work so don’t let it fool you…what we say and do in English is just the tip of the iceberg. Please look at our website Thai and English!
Still thanks for worrying about us…but its not necessary!
Sweet Smart Strong Sexy
Empower

]]> By: Andrew Hunter http://www.lauraagustin.com/whats-wrong-with-helping-another-example-from-the-world-of-sex-work#comment-100 Andrew Hunter Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:27:46 +0000 http://www.lauraagustin.com/?p=649#comment-100 The post from Stella first assumes I'm not or wasn't a sex worker- big assumption to make......The APNSW's position on the UNAIDS's guidance note was taken after consultation with sex workers in organised groups across Asia and around the world. Of course no one can speak for all sex workers- but we do our best to consult with the organisations who are our members to come up with policy positions and push for them. The idea put here from Stella is the same argument used by UNAIDS, UNFPA and the anti-trafficking movement to push their position that the majority of sex workers would rather be rehabilitated than have proper health and rights programs- they accuse the whole sex workers movement of not representing the "real sex workers." The post from Stella first assumes I’m not or wasn’t a sex worker- big assumption to make……The APNSW’s position on the UNAIDS’s guidance note was taken after consultation with sex workers in organised groups across Asia and around the world. Of course no one can speak for all sex workers- but we do our best to consult with the organisations who are our members to come up with policy positions and push for them.
The idea put here from Stella is the same argument used by UNAIDS, UNFPA and the anti-trafficking movement to push their position that the majority of sex workers would rather be rehabilitated than have proper health and rights programs- they accuse the whole sex workers movement of not representing the “real sex workers.”

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