About the group

Camellia Collective (formerly: Sex Work Poland) is a group working for sex workers in Poland – mainly for persons who identify as women. It also supports transgender and non-heteronormative persons, migrants, and substance users. Camellia provides various types of support – from interventional, through psychological, to social. Assistance is provided to people experiencing gender-based violence and discrimination, as well as poverty and housing exclusion. Camellia is a collective led by people with experience of sex work – they constitute 2/3 of the team; the group also includes allies.

About the action

Camellia acts for the rights of sex workers by gathering reliable knowledge about the sex industry and providing psychological and legal assistance (also in the field of migration law). The group reaches the workplaces of sexual services providers, distributes preventive materials, condoms, lubricants, and leaflets on sexual health and safe work.

The collective operates an around-the-clock telephone line, offers free legal advice, psychological consultations, crisis support, subsidizes medical visits and the purchase of medicines. It organizes workshops in the field of harm reduction, WenDo, and occupational safety. In October 2023, Camellia opened a drop-in in Warsaw: a safe space to conduct workshops, spend time together or eat a warm meal.

The collective works for the self-organization of the community: the creation of a trade union and a movement for the labor rights of sex workers.

Grant amount: PLN 60,000

Photograph from the group’s own materials