December 17 Day 6: Stories of Survival and Building Our Own Safety

Too often, when sex workers make the news, it’s because of tragedy. The headlines focus on loss, sensationalize violence, and erase the person behind the story. But every day, across every city and small town, sex workers survive in systems not built for their safety. They navigate stigma, manage risks, and create networks of resilience out of necessity and love. Survival, for many sex workers, isn’t just about making it through the night. It’s about carving out space for dignity and autonomy in a world that too often denies both. It’s about finding ways to protect each other when the systems that promise safety instead bring harm.