When we think about sexual work, what do we most often think of? The stigma? Whether sex workers are safe? Do they have appropriate health care? Do the clients behave in a dignified manner, and how their surrounding looks upon their work? FRONTLINE, had the opportunity to talk to Monika Tasevska, a sex worker, without masks and with sincerely…
FRONTLINE: Who is Monika Tasevska?
I am Monika Tasevska, primarily a mother, human rights activist, worker… I work as a regional coordinator in NGO STAR – The First Sex Workers Collective in the Balkans, and at the same time I am a sex worker.
FRONTLINE: How long have you been doing sex work? How did you actually start doing sex work? Was that a personal choice?
I started doing sex work about 10 years ago, when I was left without the job I previously had as an administrative worker in a private firm, so I had to try to find a way to earn money. I knew people from earlier who had been doing sex work and through their contact I also starting working. Because of the stereotypes imposed by society, which I also had, I thought I would work for some time and then stop, but with time I realized that it is a job like every other and it was my personal choice to continue doing sex work.
FRONTLINE: Why “sex work” and “sex workers” instead of “prostitute” and “prostitution”?
The term “prostitution” comes from the Latin word that means “exposed, dishonoured” and has a negative connotation, as it is associated to stereotypes and stigma. This term is used when we want to insult someone, “prostitution” and a “prostitute” is a characteristic profession only for women. Whereas the terms “sex worker” and “sex work” stem from the very community and allow for commercial sex to be considered as an economic activity, that is, a form of employment, and better describe the types of sex work that are involved in the sex industry, and at the same time it does not restrict the gender inclusion in the sex work.
FRONTLINE: We know that apart from this job, you also do other work, how profitable is sex work as an independent person in North Macedonia?
Currently, my primary job is in STAR, I do sex work occasionally as needed. As a sex worker, the most important thing is investing in yourself, the more you invest in yourself, the more profitable it is. Still, as with any job, the earnings from sex work are individual.
FRONTLINE: Having in consideration that we are in a pandemic, how does it affect your work? Do you have regular clients?
With the pandemic, sex workers have experienced a social and economic crisis, there are people who have not worked at all for a year now, others, on the other hand, having no other way of earning are risking their own health, and the health of their close ones, and continue working. Some, on the other hand, have lost their temporary homes because of not having the means to pay for the rent. I personally, since the start of this Covid-19 situation, meet only with regular clients, with whom I have mutual trust and believe that we try not to harm each other, that is, endanger our health.
FRONTLINE: Why do you think that married men, and women, decide to seek services from a sex worker?
We live in a strange society, so to say, and most often married couples cannot fulfil their sexual fantasies, fetishes or desires inside the marriage, so they look for this outside their marriage. Some services that clients seek from sex workers are ones they do not do at home, because he or she is their spouse and in a marriage, according to some “rules”, there should be a restricted attitude/communication.
FRONTLINE: How does your surrounding look upon your work, whose support is your greatest?
I live in a small place, practically said, everyone knows each other, but I have not experienced something that would deeply hurt me. I associate with a circle of people who have different views, their opinions and views are not limited, and divide people into good or bad, which means they see sex work as a job and support me in my choice. This includes also my loved ones, but I cannot exclude STAR’s team, people who in every aspect and moment are here for me, both as a colleague and as an individual. At the same time, I would like to use the opportunity to say thank you for tirelessly advocating for the sexual workers.
FRONTLINE: What kind of problems do sex workers most often face in our country?
The stereotypes, stigma and discrimination are the most usual obstacles, both from the general population and from individuals, institutional workers. The lack of a clear and defined law affects both the life and work of sex workers, and at the same time is an encouragement for perpetrators who are prone to violence, encouragement for individuals, institutional workers, prone to abusing their official duty or to discriminating. To be realistic, these problems have decreased over the years, taking into account that as a collective, in cooperation with other organizations, we are working on raising awareness of the general population, on sensibilitization of the institutional workers, and there are positive changes.
FRONTLINE: What are your thoughts about legalizing sex work, are there certain activities undertaken in regards to this issue?
The Association of sex workers does not advocate for legalization, but for decriminalization of sex work, meaning greater safety and health protection of sex workers. Certainly, STAR as a collective of sex workers, in cooperation with other organizations working on promoting the rights of sex workers, has undertaken various activities. Two years ago, a round table was organized with representatives of all institutions and then Minister of Labour and Social Policy Mila Carovska. Representatives of institutions, a minister and sex workers for the first time met at the same table and spoke about the regulation of sex work and about the needs of the association. About a year ago, sex workers and organizations prepared a “Declaration of sex workers”. The Declaration states the rights that all citizens of Europe, including sex workers, have in accordance to the International Law on Human Rights and prescribes the measures and practices that the signatories of the Declaration believe are necessary for ensuring minimum respect and protection of these rights. A total of seventeen political parties signed the Declaration. Depending on the conditions, activities are being undertaken and efforts will continue for protection, advocacy and promotion of the rights of sex workers.
FRONTLINE: What would you say to sex workers who are not as brave as you are in coming out with an opinion, and what to the clients or other citizens?
Courage is a personal trait, I cannot encourage them to speak publically, but I can tell them that sex work is a job, we are not a threat or danger to the environment. We sell sex services, we earn for ourselves, for our families and there is no reason for us to hide and to feel guilty. Those who prevent us from securing a stable life and existence should feel guilty, those who think selfishly and do not try to give people who are simply not like them a chance should feel guilty. We are people just like everyone else, someone’s children, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, nephews and we have a right to choose what we want to work. As long as it does not harm others, the choice of work should be no reason for guilt. As for the others, I would tell them that sex workers do not sell their bodies, but sex services, those who think that if they pay they own us are wrong, when we go to a cafeteria we pay for the coffee and that is it, we do not own the entire cafeteria!
For sure there is much to talk about on this topic, I hope we will have other times to raise the public awareness about sex work.
FRONTLINE: What are the main efforts and goals of the STAR organization? Apart from sex work, on the promotion of what other marginalized professions/communities does STAR concentrate on?
STAR is the First Collective of Sex Workers in the Balkans, more specifically, an Association for support of the marginalized workers STAR-STAR. STAR-STAR advocates for a world without violence, where every sex worker lives and works freely, and respect for basic human rights and freedoms are the main principles of a democratic and tolerant society, and has the goal to protect and represent sex workers in society through active cooperation with state institutions, the civil sector and the media at the local, national and international level. At the same time, it mobilizes and integrates sex workers in the process of building capacities and organizational growth and development. This means that STAR is an organization led by the very association of sex workers, and the project and activities that are implemented are ideas and needs of the association. The only marginalized community for which we are advocating are the sex workers, and we are working on the protection and promotion of the rights of sex workers.
Marija Mitkoska
source: Frontline
translation: N. Cvetkovska
