7th Intl Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

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December 17, 2006 marks the fourth anniversary of the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. The day, which includes gatherings and memorial services in many cities across the globe, was initiated by the Sex Worker's Outreach Project (SWOP-USA) to call attention to the more than 60 prostitutes who were murdered by the Green River Killer Gary Leon Ridgway. Now, people, groups and organizations around the world use this day to bring public attention to violence against prostitutes and other sex workers. In some major cities sex worker organizations are already planning a memorial event. One of those events will be held in Cleveland on the near west side where several prostitutes have been murdered this past year. There will be a reading of the names of sex workers who have been murdered this past year or whose bodies have only just been identified. Below is an incomplete list of sex workers who have died because of violence in 2006. Suzie Sutherland and "The Christchurch Prostitute" (Christchurch, New Zealand); Vanessa Lackey Franklin, Pamela Ann Goss, Lakita Stubblefield, Jasmine Clark, and two unidentified women (Houston, TX); Susan Third, 21 (Aberdeen Harbour, Scotland); Wong Lam, 37 (Shamshuipo, China); Fok Sau-king and Mao Chunyan (Shamshuipo, China); Mechelle Hicks, 35 (Goemble Avenue in Buffalo, NY); Robin Renee Brown, 35, Melonie M. Carr, 33, and Tawana L. Beane, 40 (Delaware, OH); Tina Renee Gibbs, 26 (Las Vegas, NV); Lanett Deyon White, 25 (Fontana, CA); Patricia Ann Tamez, 29 (Hesperia, CA); Emma Jane Caldwell, 27 (Renfrewshire, Scotland); Veronique Lalonde, 21 (montreal, Canada); Arron Light (Sydney, Australia); Theresa Merrie Innes, 36 (Edmonton, Canada); Buffie Sammons, 27 (columbus, OH); Julie Louise McColl (Brisbane, Australia); Jasmin Crathern, 41 (Brisbane, Australia); Hanna Montessori (Santa Ana, CA); Kristi Hoenig, 21 (Chicago, IL); Shentelle Jackson, 38 (Chicago, IL); Nadine Gurczenski, 26, Dawn Stewart, 31, Diane Dimitri, 28, Margaret Jugaru, 26, and Cassey Cichocki, 22 (Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada); Nasra Ismail, 27 (Regents Canal, Somalia); Anthony Marrero, 44 (NYC); Cynthia Halk, 38 (Chicago, IL); Grace Ilardi, 39 (Melbourne, Australia); Lei "China" Zainal, 46 (Sydney, Australia); Tracy Wylde and Diane McInally, 23 (Glasgow, Scotland); Arlene Brumfeld and Joanna Washington (Brooklyn, NY); Katherine Collins, 45 (New Orleans, LA); Adele Bailey (Victoria, Australia); Bella Evangelista aka Elviz Augusto Perez Morales (Washington, DC); Angela Jones, 32, Beverly Burns, 39, Toliya Spivey, 29, Debra Pagan, 47, Starshun Nelson, 36, Julia M. Veal, 44, Roberta McKinney, 32 (Queensland, Australia); Samantha Tayleen Berg, 19, Charlene Gauld, 20, Ellie May Meyer, 33, Delores Brower, and Bonnie Lynn Jack (Edmonton, Canada); Ahmed Khalil, 14 (Iraq); Julie Green, Laquetta Gunther, and Iwana Patton, 37 (Daytona Beach, FL); Gwen Araujo (Newark, CA); Danielle Moorcroft, 21 (Bolton, UK); Jackie Simpson, 33, Melissa Weber, 37, Lily Summers, 43, Valerie Jones, 38 (Toledo, OH); Tracy Ann Roberts, 23, Kim Raffo, 35, and 2 unidentified women (Atlantic City, NJ).