The English Collective of Prostitutes and the Sex Worker Open University present, with Club des Femmes:
UK Première of 1975 Documentary:
Les prostituées de Lyon parlent – The prostitutes of Lyon speak
(45 Minutes, French with English subtitles)
Plus: Rare footage and interviews from the 1982 occupation of the Holy Cross Church in the red light area of King’s Cross, London, by the English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP)
followed by Q+A panel with ECP and Sex Worker Open University
Sunday July 10th 3:30pm
**Free entry**
Rio Cinema, Dalston, London
On 3 June 1975, 100-150 prostitute women occupied the church of St. Nizier, one of the main churches in the centre of Lyon, France. The occupation was sparked by the brutal torture and murder of sex workers, and a police crackdown against the women. Instead of catching the murderer/s, the police were handing out ‘“two to 10 fines” in a two week period and threatening women with prison. Within weeks, churches had been occupied all over France including in Paris.
Les prostituées de Lyon parlent was shot on Portapak by the collective Vidéo Out, one of the first feminist groups to use the newly available portable video technology. In this case, the use of video was crucial for the demands of the women in the church to be heard; video provided instant playback, unlike film, which had to be processed in order to be seen. This meant that the women inside the church were able to communicate their demands to passers-by on the street, and more importantly it allowed those participating in the video to maintain control over their own self-representation. The video emerges at a fascinating moment in development of portable technologies and feminist film history, providing a unique insight into 1970s DIY activist filmmaking at its best.
We’re also very excited to include rare archive footage from the 1982 occupation of Holy Cross Church, London, in our line up. A compilation of news footage and studio interviews, this video is a glimpse into the social and political storm of the early 80’s, and the audacity of feminists and sex workers of the time in challenging the racist, sexist media machine.
In 1975 the sex workers of France, and the UK, faced heavy fines, violence, stigma, police corruption and arrest. The occupation in Lyon sparked the fire that led to the emergence of the sex workers rights movement in Europe. But what, if anything has changed since then?
The Q+A panel will include discussions of self-organisation and sex worker collectives formed in France (and elsewhere), as well as the newly passed French law criminalising the clients of sex workers.
Background info:
France should not criminalise my clients – Thierry Schaffhauser
On the game and on the move…
The English Collective of Prostitutes ECP took its inspiration and name from the French Collective of Prostitutes. In 1982, following the rape of a woman dismissed by police while sex workers faced continuous arrest, we occupied Holy Cross for 12 days. Our banner said: “Mothers need money. Stop police illegality and racism in King’s Cross.” Like our French sisters, we pointed out that most prostitute women are mothers, especially single mothers, and that the State which criminalises and fines us is the biggest pimp.
We are still fighting the same battles against arrest, fines and imprisonment;, for safety and for our rights as workers to be recognised. Most people are now with us.
But in the UK, France and elsewhere, we face further criminalisation via anti-client laws. These laws, promoted as “gender equality”, are pushing sex workers underground and into greater danger.
As in 1975, we demand decriminalisation. It was introduced in New Zealand in 2003, with verifiable success; we want it here!.
Outlaw poverty, not sex workers! Austerity is driving more women, especially mothers, into prostitution. For millions around the world prostitution is about survival, escaping violence, destitution, sweatshops and other exploitation.
Contact: English Collective of Prostitutes
020 7482 2496 • ecp@prostitutescollective,net • www.prostitutescollective.net
Film distributed by: Centre Audiovisuel Simone de Beauvoir www.centre-simone-de-beauvoir.com
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