Will the real sex worker please stand up? : Jessie Abraham
Australian sex worker returns from Indian documentary filming.

"This is what I want to do for the rest of my life!" bubbles Jessie Abraham. "Meeting peer educators from many countries, skill sharing with Indian sex workers, comparing and exploring the challenges that sex workers face all around the world. This has been the most exciting three weeks of my life".

Jessie, alter-ego of Australian sex worker and peer educator Seranna, recently returned from filming the Indian chapter of her documentary series Comparing Countries' Compassion, which she describes as "...a celebration of sex worker community and culture, examining issues including clients, clinics, cops, corruption, crime against sex workers, children of sex workers and condom accessibility".

The aim of the series is to educate society on the realities of sex work and dispel some of the myths and stereotypes that currently hinder local and international sex industry law reform attempts.

"An Indian political advisor told me no politician would suggest decriminalising sex work, because they don't want to be voted out" says Jessie.

"The same thing happens in Australia and around the world. But what if voters knew more about what sex work was really like? Would they then support our efforts to make our workplaces safer and join our fight against stigma and discrimination, instead of fighting against us?"

The documentary series will present evidence-based arguments for the decriminalisation of sex work; widely promoted as the legal framework that best supports the health, safety and human rights of sex workers.

Sex workers from around the world will describe how current laws impact on their human and civil rights and put their personal health and safety at risk.

"I performed sex work in illegal settings for ten years, being too scared to call the police if something went wrong, having dodgy bosses and no OH&S protections or work cover" says Seranna.

"Now I'm working in a legal setting and while at least I have basic workers rights and OH&S, it's frustrating because I can't choose how and where I'd like to work and I'm still discriminated against and treated like a criminal, even though I'm not breaking any laws".

Seranna says [her character] Jessie Abraham allows her to educate the community in a fun and non-threatening way, with Jessie regularly performing at comedy venues, protests, in media interviews and even doing a stint as a radio presenter.

Seranna loves the way Jessie gets people thinking.

"Sometimes I get off stage and people say ‘...but you're not really a whore, are you?'" she says. "I'm like ‘Why would a woman get up on stage and declare herself a whore if she wasn't?' Obviously people don't fully understand the consequences of outing yourself as a sex worker! Jessie is not just some compassionate comedienne giving a voice to sex worker issues...Jessie is a real-life sex worker speaking up for herself!"

While the Indian episode is in post-production, Seranna will soon begin conducting Australian sex worker interviews, followed by a trip to San Francisco in June to launch the film at the San Francisco Sex Workers Film Festival.

"Sex workers are the sexual health educators of our community" she says. "We are skilled workers, taxpayers and citizens like anyone else. We deserve the same rights that everyone else enjoys. Hopefully, this documentary will go some way towards demonstrating that to the wider community".

Travel production and filming have so far been self-funded and Seranna would welcome financial support or sponsorship for its continuation.

For further information contact:
Seranna
Producer
0406748691