URGENT: Organizations needed to sign on to Letter to Obama for Dec. 17 !PLEASE CIRCULATE!

Dear Ally in the Fight for Sex Workers’ Rights,

We are writing to request your organization’s support on the attached letter that will be submitted to President-Elect Obama as well as several of his new cabinet appointees.

This letter and the accompanying National March for Sex Workers’ Rights have been organized by the Sex Workers’ Outreach Project USA (SWOP-USA) and our peer-based network of sex worker organizations. On December 17th we are honoring the 6th Annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (IDEVASW).

Our networks have been at the forefront of advocating for human and labor rights for sex workers in the US. By signing on, your organization is recognizing the right of sex workers to have our demands heard on the critical issues that affect our lives. More information is available in the attached Call to Action and our list of demands.

If your organization would like to host an event for December 17th or if you’d like to attend an event in your city, please visit the official IDEVASW website: http://www.swopusa.org/dec17/index.htm

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Tara Sawyer
Board Chair
Sex Workers Outreach Project USA
877-776-2004 x 3
tara@swopusa.org

912 Cole St. #202
San Francisco, CA 94117
http://www.swopusa.org

To add your organization as a signatory, email press@swopusa.org no later than 5pm EST on December 8th, 2008 please include:

Your Name
Title
Organization
Phone or Email
Website

*The letter, Call to Action and Demands are pasted here as well as attached in .pdf format

D.C. Prosecutor Discusses Deborah Jeane’s Trial and Suicide

Prosecuters ‘quite anguished’ over DC Madam’s suicide

WASHINGTON – For the first time, D.C.’s top prosecutor is talking about what went on behind the scenes before Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s trial and about the D.C. Madam’s eventual suicide.

Boy George Guilty of Imprisoning Escort

LONDON – Pop singer Boy George was convicted of falsely imprisoning a male escort on Friday.

A jury at a court in London returned the verdict on Friday against the singer, tried under his real name of George O’Dowd.  Norwegian Audun Carlsen said he was restrained with handcuffs by the musician. Carlsen also accused O’Dowd of beating him with a metal chain as he tried to escape from the singer’s flat after a naked photo shoot.  O’Dowd admitted that he handcuffed Carlsen while he investigated alleged tampering with his home computer. But he denied assaulting Carlsen or swinging a chain at him.