Decrim now world news digest for August 2025

The campaign to fully decriminalise sex work in the ACT is kicking off

Australia, Canberra

August 13, 2025

The ACT (Australian Capital Territory state) was the first jurisdiction in Australia to decriminalise cannabis for personal use, and small amounts of illicit drugs. Canberra was also the first to offer free abortion healthcare services, and to have raised the age of criminal responsibility to 14. 

But when it comes to law reform, something that Canberra hasn’t done is fully decriminalise sex work, compared to counterparts in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Victoria and most recently, Queensland.

One of the people leading the campaign in the ACT is Dr Hilary Caldwell - Canberra author, sex worker and sexologist.

More info about plans of this campaign is via this link

Source abc.net.au

UNLV Libraries Acquire Groundbreaking Sex Work Activism Archive

USA, University of Nevada

August 14, 2025

In 1984, Norma Jean Almodovar sat in a Los Angeles jail cell, facing a solicitation charge that would change the course of her life. A former LAPD traffic officer turned sex worker, she saw firsthand the hypocrisy of a system that criminalized women like her while protecting powerful men. That moment didn’t break her – it fueled her. 

Decades later, the papers documenting her fight for sex worker rights have found a permanent home at UNLV’s Special Collections & Archives, ensuring that her story – and the stories of those she championed – will not be forgotten.

“I was always hopeful that the work of me and my organization would someday lead to changes in laws to criminalize police corruption and decriminalization of sex work,” said Almadovar, who has recently retired and relocated to Las Vegas. “By donating this collection to UNLV, it will be accessible to researchers and activists who will carry this work forward.”

The Norma Jean Almodovar Papers, covering the years 1918 to 2022, document her decades of advocacy for sex worker rights and include materials from her personal life, activism, and the nonprofit she founded: the International Sex Worker Foundation for Art, Culture, and Education (ISWFACE). The collection encompasses 83.71 cubic feet of materials, comprising 125 boxes, 5 oversized boxes, 3 flat files, and 1 roll. It represents one of the most extensive archives related to sex work activism in the United States.

“We are deeply honored that Norma Jean Almodovar chose UNLV as the home for her papers," said Sarah Quigley, director of Special Collections & Archives, a division of the UNLV University Libraries. “Her collection is not only rich in history, activism, and personal courage – it’s also one of the very first to shape our new collecting focus on sexual entertainment and economies.

"Norma Jean has spent her life challenging stigma and fighting for the rights of sex workers, and we’re incredibly grateful she entrusted us to help preserve and share that story. Her legacy will be a powerful resource for researchers, students, and anyone seeking to better understand the complex realities of sex work and social justice.”

Source unlv.ed

2 support centres for sex workers in Vancouver close, one permanently

Canada, Vancouver

August 15, 2025

Two support centres for sex workers in Vancouver have closed due to a lack of funding, causing concern among the sex work community and its supporters.

The PACE Society has permanently closed after operating for over 30 years, and the WISH Drop-in Centre has been temporarily closed since February after more than 40 years of service.

The organizations provided a 24/7 space for people in the sex work industry to access services.

The PACE Society says it has closed due to outstanding debts and issues with securing funding. The WISH Drop-In Centre’s website says the temporary closure was put in place to help the drop-in program withstand financial troubles and it is currently in negotiations to reopen. 

Sex worker and former PACE volunteer Olive Bing says support centres for sex workers provide safety, harm reduction supplies and community.

"It’s a substantial loss," Bing told CBC’s The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn.

Bing, who was a board member with PACE Society, says the organization did the "very best it could with minimal resources and incredibly high demand."

Sarah Moon, a sex worker and performer, says she accessed therapy and legal advice through PACE and that she wouldn’t be where she is today without the organization. 

"They were totally instrumental with who I am today; they helped me grow so much as a person," she told The Early Edition.

"It is an incalculable loss, and I’m quite devastated to hear of its closing."

Moon says Vancouver has no other 24/7 support services available for women in the sex work industry, following the closure of the two centres.

Funding for a 24/7 centre for sex workers was one recommendation included in the 2012 Missing Women Inquiry, following the murders committed by serial killer Robert Pickton. 

Source cbc.ca

Marginalised people must not be harmed – WADPN

West Africa

August 21, 2025

Across West Africa, the criminalisation of people who use drugs, sex workers, and people with diverse sexual orientations (PWDSO) continues to deepen cycles of poverty, stigma, disease, and violence.

As advocates continue to raise awareness for these communities, the West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN) and its partners have called on ECOWAS and national governments, particularly in Ghana, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, to take decisive steps toward decriminalisation and protection of human rights.

Senegal stands alone in West Africa with a comprehensive and regulated framework for sex work. Despite its limitations, this model has helped reduce HIV transmission, enabled access to health services, and improved tracking of violence and abuse.

By contrast, in Ghana, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, sex workers face arbitrary arrests, harassment, and limited legal recourse, often exacerbated by moralistic laws and a lack of public health infrastructure.

WADPN and its partners have called for national agencies to decriminalise sex work, adopt rights-based regulatory approaches, and recognise sex workers as legitimate members of society with the right to safety, health, and dignity.

Decriminalisation is not just a legal question; it is a question of life or death. We urge ECOWAS and national governments to: Amend repressive laws, expand community-led health services, fund rights-based education and policing reforms, and include affected communities in decision-making.

As advocacy campaigns draw global attention to the struggles and resilience of marginalised groups, West Africa must not be left behind. Justice, health, and dignity for all cannot wait.

Source myjoyonline.com