DSW Attends New England Sex Work Summit

This November, Decriminalize Sex Work (DSW) along with sex workers, advocates, and policy partners from across the Northeast convened in Providence, Rhode Island, for the third annual New England Sex Worker Summit (NESWS). Representatives from every New England state were in attendance, including leaders from The Ishtar Collective, New Moon Network, EPA United, Boston Sex Worker and Allies Collective (BSWAC), and other local sex worker-led organizations. DSW staff in attendance included Staff Attorney Becca Cleary, Legal Director Melissa Broudo, and Chief Advocacy Coordinator Henri Bynx, who is also the co-founder of The Ishtar Collective.

The summit, first launched in 2022, was created to bring together New England sex workers, trafficking survivors, and allies for a weekend of learning, planning, and community building. This year, attendees discussed shared advocacy goals, aligned on policy priorities for the upcoming legislative session, and reconnected with colleagues and friends. DSW values this regional effort and looks forward to making progress for sex workers’ rights across New England in 2026.