History of the NSWP and the Sex Worker Rights Movement: Europe

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1 Jan 1972: Biggest Brothel Opens in Cologne Despite Protest

1 Aug to 2 Jun 1972: First attempt at mobilisation for sex workers’ rights in Lyon, France

1 Jun 1973: Swedish Sex Workers form a Trade Union

1 Sep 1973: Political Party for the Protection of Sex Workers Established in Italy

2 Jun 1975: Occupation of St-Nizier church

17 Nov 1975: Founding of PUSSI

1 Dec 1975: Founding of the English Collective of Prostitutes

13 Dec 1975: Bolzano, Italy, a Public Letter Against Arrests

1 Jan 1976: The end of forced sterilisation

4 Mar to 8 Mar 1976: Brussels, International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women

1 Oct 1976: PROS against imprisonment for soliciting

1 Jan 1977: Spanish Sex Workers Establish Sindicato Unitario de las trabajadoras del amor

27 Nov to 27 Feb 1978: A missed chance for the decriminalisation of sex work

2 Jan 1981: The Yorkshire Ripper’s trial

27 Mar 1981: The Ms. Malone case

1 Jan 1982: Protest against violence & 1st organisation

17 Nov to 29 Nov 1982: The occupation of the Holy Church

1 Jan 1984: The founding of the Red Thread (De Rode Draad in Dutch)

23 May 1984: Reform of the “Good life & morality certificate” law

10 Jun 1984: The murder of Catrine Da Costa

15 Feb 1985: Amsterdam World Charter for Prostitutes’ Rights

1 Nov to 4 Nov 1990: Official Founding of NSWP

1991: NSWP receives first funding

1992: NSWP formally established as a network

1 Jan 1993: TAMPEP (European Network for HIV/STI Prevention and Health Promotion among Migrant Sex Workers) is founded

1994: NSWP attends European Symposium on Health and the Sex Industry

1996: Making Sex Work Safe first published

25 Sep 1996: Ireland, closure of the last Magdalene laundry

1998: IAC Geneva

1 Jan 2001: Red Umbrella First Used in Venice Italy as a symbol for sex worker solidarity

6 Jun to 8 Jun 2001: Origins of the Red Umbrella as the Symbol of the Sex Worker Rights Movement

2002: Demonstration at UNAIDS

2002: IAC Barcelona - Red Light District

1 Jan 2002: Prostitution Act (ProstG)

1 Jan 2004: First Meeting of the Int'l Committee for the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe

15 Oct to 17 Oct 2005: ICRSE hosts a European Conference on Sex Work, Human Rights, Labour and Migration in Brussels, Belgium

2006: Protest over Gates Foundation support of IJM raids

9 Jun 2006: 2006 Germany World Cup

1 Mar 2007: Belle statue unveiled in Amsterdam to honour sex workers across the world

2 Oct 2008: NSWP registered in UK

20 Nov 2008: Macedonia, forced testing police operations

2009: Michel Sidibé establishes UNAIDS Advisory Group on HIV and Sex Work

15 Dec 2009: Denmark Sex Workers Offer Free Sex to Protest Anti-Client Campaign

18 Jul to 23 Jul 2010: IAC Vienna

1 Mar 2014: ICRSE Campaign against the Honeyball Report calling for the adoption of the Swedish model across Europe