VT Advocates in Action

Advocates for the rights of sex workers and survivors of human trafficking in Vermont are partnering with organizations working on a range of issues to best meet the needs of their shared communities.

Since last spring, DSW Community Engagement Consultant Henri Bynx and The Ishtar Collective have participated in the following community initiatives:

* Launched a weekly pop-up clinic in conjunction with The Rainbow Bridge Community Center and People’s Health and Wellness Clinic. The clinic features a free store supplied with hygiene and cosmetic goods, clothing, resources to outside care, and peer support on site.

* Tabled outside the statehouse at Montpelier Pride.

* Presented at a Student Health Fair at The University of Vermont.

* Expanded their food justice program’s reach.

* Offered safer-sex supplies and information on a regular basis in downtown Montpelier.

The Ishtar Collective is a nonprofit collective of sex workers, survivors, and industry allies in Vermont who focus on intersectional social justice liberation. Our mission is to see our communities thrive as we aim for equity in race, class, gender, healthcare, housing, food, immigration, labor, (dis)ability, and LGBTQIA+ issues, with a special focus on sex workers’ rights and anti-trafficking work.