A year ago I gave a snapshot of what it’s like to try and make space for or voice critical perspectives on the sex trade, within the academy. It’s not pleasant. But the harassment and intimidation of women working in frontline services is next level...
This attack - and it’s not the first - on Project Respect in Melbourne is appalling. You can read about it here: facebook.com/story.php?stor… 
You can also read about the vital work they do at Project Respect here: projectrespect.org.au #endvaw
And they do this work, even in the face of such direct threads and harassment, as well as a fairly consistent campaign of misinformation from the likes of the people the Victorian govt apparently thinks it is fit to appoint to chair a review on sex industry legislation.
This is not a huge organisation pulling in millions in govt funding. The Scarlet Alliance have had significantly more resourcing, inc. from govt sources, for example. This is *not* an attack on a group which dominates policy of public discourse. This is an attack on survivors.
And it is an attempt to silence *anyone* with a different opinion or approach. Organisations like Project Respect have far less influence than sex trade lobbyists and apologists. You can’t pretend this is striking a blow against a hegemonic power.
It’s time for all academics and allies working to end violence against women to stand up against this stuff. You don’t have to agree with a position to understand it has a right to exist. And that survivors deserve to be heard, even when some people don’t like what is said.
