Harm Reduction for Street-based Sex Workers
The Red Van is a mobile harm reduction organization for street-based sex work in Copenhagen. Our mission is to make working conditions less precarious by providing a safer space for street-based sex workers and sellers. We believe in rights, not rescue.
Who we are
The Red Van is a volunteer run NGO with a straightforward approach to harm reduction: sex work is work and sex workers, and sellers, deserve respect, dignity, health and security.
In 2016, we launched with a mission to provide a safer space for street-based sex workers and sellers in Copenhagen. From the beginning, we’ve been committed to decreasing the risk of harm and neutralizing the power imbalance inherent to following customers to unfamiliar locations.
We founded our organization with an ambulance, but have since retired the vehicle and replaced it with a red van. Our efforts and values remain the same though - we are here to make working conditions less precarious and we take to the streets to do so.
The Red Van is the only mobile harm reduction organization for street-based sex working in Copenhagen. We strive to emphasize the struggle for sex workers’ rights - not just the feminist narrative, but also the global, class and anti-capitalist difficulties.
"The Red Van delivers an immediate and hands-on solution to a real problem: the lack of safety for street sex workers who, for different reasons, do not have other ways to support themselves and their families."
Harm reduction
The Red Van delivers an immediate and hands-on solution to a prominent problem: the lack of safety for street-based sex workers.
Rights not rescue
Sex worker rights are human rights. We believe that basic labor rights should not be tied to whether or not an individual loves their job.
No human is illegal
Everyone deserves dignified and safe working conditions regardless of their profession, residency, or migration status.