Sex workers in Japan are to be given government aid to help them mitigate the loss of earnings since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic.
With the whole country under a state of emergency and most businesses closed, thousands of sex workers have been left with no income revenue stream and no idea when business can resume. Japan has more than 10,800 cases and over 230 people have died.
To soften the blow, the government has launched a stimulus package worth almost $100 billion. Sex workers will be entitled to apply for aid under certain conditions. While the news has been welcomed and sehttps://exit.al/en/wp-admin/post.php?post=48692&action=edit#edit_timestampen a sign of progress, some say eligibility is opaque and restrictive. Workers have said they are not sure how to apply without publicly outing themselves.
Prostitution including intercourse is illegal in Japan but other kinds of sex work are legal. The industry is worth over $24 billion every year.
The new guidelines will (on paper) allow sex work agencies and employers to receive subsidies for those who have to stay at home to care for children during lockdown. Sex workers can also apply for a cash handout if they have lost income due to the pandemic.
The problem is that the application process requires workers to provide details of their salary and lost income, something difficult for those paid under the table or whose salaries fluctuate.
The Japanese government is also considering giving each citizen around $928 instead of asking people to apply for aid. This would sidestep the issues facing sex workers in declaring their income.
Albanian LGBTI organisations highlighted the plight of Albanian sex workers, particularly trans sex-workers who are unable to work due to lockdown measures. A group of NGOs including Aleanca have been distributing food and other products to help them survive during this difficult time.
