The condemned Italia Motel on Seattle's Aurora Avenue was transformed overnight into a pink political message championing the rights of sex workers worldwide. Messages in bright pink included "Human - Not Just a Ho", "Keep Sex Workers Safe", "You Are Grrrl Army" and "Respect Sex Work As Work". Advocates for sex worker rights argue that sex workers should have the same basic human and labor rights as others - assaulting a prostitute is still an assault on another human being. The timing and location of the message were likely not a coincidence.
The Italia Motel was one of five properties in the area owned that were targeted by police for the criminal activity that took place. In 2008 there were calls requiring a police response every 4.5 days. The prostitution, drug use and robberies had been a significant issue for years. In 2010 the City Attorney's Office eventually forced their closure by revoking their business license due to tax violations. (You can still find the hotel on travel websites. I'm tempted to write a review!)
Aurora Avenue, or State Route 99, was originally Pacific Highway 1 and was the precursor to Interstate 5. The north-south route runs from north of Tacoma to Everett. It has a well deserved reputation for prostitution.
October 11, 2012 was the Day of the Girl. The mission of the Day of the Girl is to engage girls in civic leadership before the age of 18. Girls worldwide face challenges that include discrimination, gender violence and early marriage. While at first it may not seem appropriate to raise the cause of sex workers on the Day of the Girl, both are raising awareness of gender discrimination and basic human rights.
Awesome reporting Doug. We don't often think about this topic; it is easy to push aside as a dirty little secret. I admit it is hard to get my mind around, I have to stretch a bit, but I would agree that safety for all women is important, even if you choose professions that come with such risk. I wonder if a society that tolerates prostitution holds women in a higher regard generally. And if we were more forthcoming about our sexuality, would the violence associated with prostitution diminish?
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