Baltimore Safe Haven COVID-19 Sex Workers Fund

COVID-19  has been reported in Maryland and elsewhere — sex workers all kinds are facing unique challenges with the pandemic as TGLBQ individuals are living in survival mode and sex work is their only means of income for food and shelter.




COVID-19 will affect street based sex workers doing survival sex work/survival sex workers as it’s there only means of income.




 Sex workers often work out of motels or use motels as there home relaying on income from sex work to provide Basic Essentials as a roof over there head which is costly per night and we are concerned about those who are living in already survival mode using struggle mode tactics. The pandemic will cause a  financial strain which one already endures living day to day during survival sex work which many  face in their lives already. 




Those currently experiencing homelessness are significantly more likely to be HIV positive  or have weaker compromised immune systems due to other health issues and drug use half of survival sex workers/sex workers are homeless street based or living from couch to couch or in motels as street based economy sex work for income or living in there truth peer lead to doing sex work as it’s their only option as a TGLBQ living in community.




 As we see shelter in place in Baltimore for 65 in older there’s none for TGLBQ in today it would be even tougher to quarantine  we are asking community to help us raise funds for :




Responding to TGLBQ survival sex workers - for food, bill and travel assistance, for cleaning, hygiene, sanitation and other related essentials



2)  Housing for homeless TGLBQ survival sex workers and street based sex workers who need help to quarantine.




3) Replenishing Naloxone supplies literature provided in high demand by community members




4) Baltimore city’s community volunteers livid experience workers helping community supplies related to COVID-19 response for Survival Sex workers.

 5) Increasing hours of mobile outreach from 2days  to 4days.

6) Supplying community with gift cards

7) Portable handwashing systems portable handwashing system. 


Survival sex workers in community will need emergency support right now most have no family or ways to protect there selfs from a emergency crisis already in one that’s great such as COVID-19 as the lack of housing and resources are already at a all time high which causes those that are inclined to do survival tactics actions to take up more horrific actions as a survival sex work which causes distress, mental health flare ups, substance abuse use   No places to quarantine from something yet so unexpected results on TGLBQ survival mode individuals can lead to Fatal and Detrimental decisions leading to old habits. 




As Baltimore State’s Attorney Mosby is trying to stop prosecution of drug possession, prostitution, other crimes amid coronavirus




Mosby said she’s taking the action to reduce the threat of a coronavirus outbreak behind bars. These crimes pose no risk to public safety and the defendants would be released before trial in normal times, she wrote in a memo to prosecutors.




TGLBQ people who typically fall through the cracks for a number of things Living in there truth we are the left behind far greater in especially those that are of poverty and oppression using survival tactics to live where the pandemic is further along;  As our city struggles with TGLBQ issues, those most on the margins — Black & Brown, Trans & Queer Survival  sex workers, street based workers homeless or housing unstable, chronically ill, substance abuse users those living with Compromised immune system‘s, our trans elders —  we haven’t been the first individuals to Assistance during Covid19. We can show solidarity during the pandemic. 













Baltimore Safe Haven Mission is to provide compassionate harm reduction services, advocacy, and community engagement that is respectful, non-judgmental, and affirms and honors individual power and agency.

 

 




Baltimore Safe Haven stands with its Trans,gay,lesbian,bisexual and queer non-binary community in supports survival sex workers, decrim and other policy changes to challenge the system of criminalization of sex work. We are the only Mobile outreach for TGLBQ lived experienced sex workers in Baltimore City.