SWAI Statement on Closing We are heartbroken to announce that the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) is closing our doors after over 16 years, due to a lack of funding. Since our foundation in 2009, we have brought an alternative voice to the dominant narrative about sex work in Ireland.

When tributes roll in for Margaretta D'Arcy, remember she was an incredible ally to sex workers. Rest in Peace Margaretta

We are sad to say goodbye to our Communications and Advocacy manager, Linda Kavanagh, who has been with SWAI for 7 years.

We would also like an explanation as to why organisations that ran Magdelene Laundries in Ireland have a say in what happens to sex workers. Client criminalisation has pushed sex work underground in Ireland and increased violence against sex workers. www.thenational.scot/news/2557575...

If you are a sex worker in Ireland, please check out our website. You can find information about your rights and get signposted to services that can help you. sexworkersallianceireland.org

Transphobia harms all women, part 4,586

Violence against sex workers hasn't gone away. It was incredibly brave of the sex worker involved in this case to come forward, as we know that most sex workers do not. www.sundayworld.com/crime/courts...

We're continuing to highlight the work of SWAI. In April 2023, Geila Ibram, a sex worker in Limerick, was murdered. Along with other sex worker organisations, we held a vigil outside the Department of Justice to highlight the lack of concern about sx workers' safety in Ireland.

Full decriminalization is the way; the Nordic model 'isn't' the way. #sexwork #sexworkerrights #listentoallsexworkers #sexworkiswork #sexworkisnotsextrafficking #decriminalizesexwork #sexworkerrightsarehumanrights #europeansexworkers #rejectthenordicmodel #sexworkers

Next year, organisations will go to the Western Cape High Court to argue for the decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa. Like in Ireland, condoms are used as evidence that sex work has occurred, and sex workers often face discrimination and judgment. www.hrw.org/news/2025/08...

Ireland continues to be criticised for our lack of action on identifying trafficking victims, prosecuting traffickers and the lack of implementation of the National Referral Mechanism. The sex work laws are failing! Time to decriminalise. www.socialjustice.ie/article/irel...

Self-Advocacy as a Pregnant Trans Person An article covering how to advocate for yourself when accessing pregnancy care, correcting misinformation that medical professionals might give you, and going over what kinds of misgendering you can expect and how to avoid it when possible.

With 4 days left, we're in the final stretch to get this funded! We've raised £11,676 so far of the £15,700 we need and it's all or nothing. Help this project get the rest of the way there so it can be made - by pre-ordering a copy or sharing the campaign! www.kickstarter.com/projects/mxj...

That's pretty awesome. ^_^ #sexwork #sexworkerrights #listentoallsexworkers #sexworkiswork #sexworkisnotsextrafficking #decriminalizesexwork #europeansexworkers #ireland #sexworkerrightsarehumanrights #rejectthenordicmodel #sexworkers

The Crown Office is correct here. In Ireland, over the 8 years since client criminalisation was introduced, only 15 people have been prosecuted for the purchase of sex. Many more sex workers have been prosecuted during that time. The law is a failure! www.thenational.scot/news/2548108...

We are so delighted to see Catherine Connolly elected! She has consistently advocated for the health and safety of sex workers in Ireland during her time in the Dáil. While we will miss her as a TD, we know she will be a president for all on the island, especially the most marginalised.

Bill seeks to change law on brothels to improve safety for sex workers Organisations including the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland have argued that the brothel keeping element of the legislation has made it unsafe

Amazing work by our friends in Ireland to write and launch a bill to decriminalise sex work, which would enable sex workers to work together for safety, and improve their health and access to workers’ rights.

Ireland - Sex Work Decriminalisation Bill Launched by TD Ruth Coppinger TD Ruth Coppinger launched a decriminalisation of sex work bill, removing criminal sanctions for sex workers working together or hiring people to assist their work. universitytimes.ie/2025/10/sex-...

Sex workers are routinely kicked off financial platforms such as these, but people who have spread harmful, racist content are allowed to continue to fundraise. Make it make sense! www.dublininquirer.com/a-desi-group...

The bill we have co-created does not decriminalise violence against sex workers, including rape, exploitation, or trafficking. The current client criminalisation and brothel-keeping laws have failed and have actively made the lives of current sex workers worse. universitytimes.ie/2025/10/sex-...

We're continuing to highlight the work of SWAI by highlighting some of the research we have been involved with over the past 16 years. In 2020, we contributed to ESWA's 'Undeserving victims? A Community Report on Migrant Sex Worker Victims of Crime in Europe'. www.eswalliance.org/undeserving_...

Further coverage of the launch of our decriminalisation of sex work bill. The bill was co-created by several sex workers' rights advocates and centres the health and needs of sex workers. gcn.ie/decriminalis...

“Anyone who cares about violence against sex workers, violence against women, the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, migrants, undocumented people, people in poverty and insecure housing or homelessness, people in addiction and people with disabilities MUST support this bill” 💯❤️‍🔥

We're holding a sex worker-only meet-up in Cork next week! Learn about • Your legal rights • Your medical rights • STI/HIV testing • Prep info And get free condoms. Email outreach @ swai.eu to find out the details.

Our new decriminalisation of sex work bill centres the safety and health of sex workers in Ireland. www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41...

🥹💕

Yesterday we announced the launch of our decriminalisation of sex work Bill. This change is law is necessary to combat the violence against sex workers. I'm very proud to be involved in this vital legislation. #DecrimForSafety #SupportSafeSexWork

🇮🇪 #Ireland (M) #Events 🗓️ #October2025 «Sex Worker Meeting» 👥 #SWAI 🗓️ Sometime within Ace Week (19th–26th October) ⏰ ¿? 📍 {possibly the SHC centre..?}, Cork ……… Just email them and ask… 😅 📧 [email protected]

Press release: Decriminalisation of sex work bill launched by TD Ruth Coppinger The bill was co-created by Red Umbrella Éireann, the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland and the Street Workers Collective.

Fair play to Ruth Coppinger TD for launching a new decriminalisation bill written with Irish sex worker organisations.

Kan dette please være spikeren i kista for alle "OnlyFans bare at [sett inn her]" vitser. De er ikke like trendy lenger, takke faen, og de var aldri morsomme for sexarbeidere. Stigma og horefobi har reelle, alvorlige konsekvenser for dem det faktisk gjelder.

Sounds like a man who doesn't give a shit about his child and just wants to punish his ex.

The Red Umbrella Film Festival is this weekend! GCN have highlighted that this year’s programme focuses on the pressing need for the decriminalisation of sx work in Ireland. gcn.ie/queer-events...

We're holding a sex worker-only meet-up in Cork next week! Learn about • Your legal rights • Your medical rights • STI/HIV testing • Prep info And get free condoms. Email outreach @ swai.eu to find out the details.

We're continuing to celebrate the work of SWAI over the years. In 2019 we launched our #DecrimForSafety and #SupportSafeSexWork hashtags to highlight the need for laws and policies that keep sex workers safe. We all deserve to feel safe in our jobs.

(Doubtful) ...is the kid: cared for, safe, fed, in good health, in a stable household, receiving an education, and able to socialize and grow as a person? If so, the man needs to sit down, shut up, take his lot, and go away.

The @redumbrellaff Red Umbrella Film Festival opens today! The opening film is sold out, but there are tickets for the remaining events. Head over to the website to check out the line up. www.redumbrellaeireann.com/filmfestival

If it was legal to bake cakes and legal to sell cakes but it was illegal to advertise cakes and illegal to buy cakes, do you think cake bakers will have a better or safer work-life? Do you think the people willing to commit a crime to buy a cake will be a safe customer?

It is disgusting to see a woman's income stream being used against her by her ex. This is why sex workers do not disclose their work and cannot step out of the shadows to advocate. There are dire real-world consequences when they do. Shame on this man. www.carlow-nationalist.ie/news/nationa...

INCLUSION MEANS DIGITAL SAFETY Queer people and sex workers must not be left behind in conversations on cybersecurity and digital justice. #Inclusion #DigitalRightsMatter @redumbrellasweden.bsky.social @swaiireland.bsky.social

this is so critical - the problem with these laws that theoretically criminalise buyers of sex is that either sex workers get criminalised too, or sex workers are forced to work in more dangerous situations, increasingly their likelihood of harm and the potential severity of that harm.

Do you work with sex workers? We have Sex Worker Awareness Training, available in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Developed by sex workers, this training will enhance participants' knowledge including • What is sex work? sexworkersallianceireland.org/2023/05/sex-...

A brothel is a premises where 2 or more sex workers are present, so these statistics are not comforting to us. We know sex workers are being prosecuted for working together for safety. www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/surg...

The Metropolitan police had reports of assaults by Fayed for years and failed to act upon them. Will they prosecute those who facilitated this abuse? www.opendemocracy.net/en/al-fayed-...

Age verification tools that rely on biometric data, such as uploading selfies, are biased and enhance discrimination based on gender, race or disability. The Online Safety Code, which came into effect recently, has introduced age verification for certain platforms. www.thegist.ie/the-gist-a-f...

📅 Today is World Contraception Day. Ireland is hypocritical when it comes to contraception. On the one hand, it funds organisations to give out free condoms, and on the other, it allows Gardaí to use condoms as evidence that sex work has occurred. #WorldContraceptionDay