Reflections from the conference Justice and Sex Work. Developing and de-centring debate

On 15–16 May 2025, Södertörn University hosted the international conference “Justice and Sex Work. Developing and de-centring debate” organized by Anna Ratecka, postdoctoral researcher in Sustainaction.

The conference gathering  scholars, activists, and community representatives focused on rethinking justice in relation to sex work, particularly in the contexts of the Baltics and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

source: AR

It was held during a tense political moment in Sweden where lawmakers were debating even harsher restrictions on sex work, including the criminalisation of online sex work, a widely criticized development by sex workers and rights organisations. The conference created a much-needed space for critical dialogue and solidarity. This context underlined the urgency of discussing sex work in the regional context brining localised and grassroot perspectives, especially by those most affected.

Decentring the debate and building bridges between academia and grassroots organising

The event brought together participants from across Europe and beyond, including Sweden, Finland, the United Kingdom, Poland, Slovenia, Turkey, Norway, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. The conference brough together early career researchers, advanced scholars and activists, thus going beyond the ‘ivory tower’ of academia and using the methodological approach that Sustainaction projects brings forward – creating spaces where knowledge can be collectively produced, bring both robust scientific outcomes and contribute to greater justice and support movements.

source: AR

By intentionally de-centring dominant Western narratives, the conference foregrounded under-represented regional experiences and historical trajectories including post-socialist countries like Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia, Nordic countries like Sweden, Norway and Finland and countries on the European peripheries such as Turkey.

One of the conference’s highlights was the activist roundtable, which featured representatives from sex worker-led organisations  - Red Umbrella Sweden, Sex Worker Rights Lietuva (SWRL) from Lithuania as well as the SWAN network (Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network) which includes members from Central Europe and Central Asia and European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance (ESWA). This roundtable offered powerful insights into the challenges that sex workers face, including the criminalisation of sex work through legislation and recent developments in this field, particularly in Sweden. It also addressed the impact of foreign agent laws on civil society actors in Central Europe and Central Asia, anti-gender politics and mobilisation in the region, and how sex worker rights organisations challenge these developments by creating networks of support and care.

Justice and sex workers revisited

Two brilliant keynote speeches on the broader debate surrounding justice in the context of sex work were presented by Agata Dziuban from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, and May-Len Sklibrei from the University of Oslo.

source: ESWA

Agata Dziuban presented the findings of a Europe-wide participatory research project examining the policing of sex work. She demonstrated how the current criminal justice framework in Europe contributes to the vulnerability and direct violence experienced by sex workers, hindering their access to justice and safe working conditions. She concluded with a call for justice to be redefined in the context of sex work and other marginalised communities, advocating a shift from a carceral approach to one of transformative justice.

May-Len Skilbrei gave a theoretical speech in which she applied Nancy Fraser's theory of justice to sex workers, defining recognition, redistribution and participation. She also argued that sex work is an example of abnormal justice, as it redefines how sex work is understood, shifting the focus from defining sex work as a form of violence to defining it as work. The talk explored how these developments are present in feminist reflections on sex work, and their impact on the governance of sex work and the rights of sex workers.

The conference program reflected the diversity and depth of current research and activism around sex work, justice, and marginalisation. Over a dozen presentations brought together scholars and community experts to present work grounded in both critical theory and lived experience, spanning legal systems, archival silences, digital platforms, and grassroots mobilisations.

source: AR

Participants discussed topics including reflections on sex work and the law, the ambivalent legal status of sex workers, the contested nature of sex workers' rights in human rights litigation and discourse, and the political struggles of sex workers' rights organisations at a European level. Many presentations touched upon epistemic justice for sex workers, considering how they are presented in archives, art and law, as well as in sex work research. The realities of digital sex workers and their everyday struggles were also discussed in several presentations. Additionally, the engagement of civil society with sex work was discussed, as well as the challenges of navigating a hostile political environment through grassroots work and engagement to reshape justice for sex workers, moving from a carceral approach to one of harm reduction and recognition.

Future collaborations

The conference provided a unique and much-needed opportunity to advance research on sex work in the Nordic countries and the Baltic Sea region. Participants welcomed the initiative, expressing excitement not only about the opportunity to share their work, but also about the potential to build lasting networks. Many emphasized the importance of establishing a supportive and collaborative academic community committed to conducting critical research on sex work.