Abstract - Toward a legal framework that promotes and protects sex workers’ health and human rights

Cheryl Overs, Bebe Loff

Health and Human Rights 15/1

Published June 2013

Abstract

Complex combinations of law, policy, and enforcement practices determine sex workers vulnerability to HIV and rights abuses. We identify “lack of recognition as a person before the law” as an important but undocumented barrier to accessing services and conclude that multi-faceted, setting-specific reform is needed—rather than a singular focus on decriminalization—if the health and human rights of sex workers are to be realized.