The Systematic Invisibility of Femicides Against Sex Workers

• Recent murders of sex workers have highlighted a lack of institutional recognition and societal mourning for these victims.
• Advocates argue this silence stems from structural stigma and extreme misogyny directed at women who engage in sex work.

Case Background and Legal Categorization

• On September 24, a woman was murdered in Bormujos, Seville, during a sex work encounter.
• The High Court of Justice of Andalusia (TSJA) confirmed the case is being investigated as a standard homicide, not as gender-based violence (violencia machista).
• While the Ministry of Equality categorizes such acts as "sexual femicide," victims often struggle to access the same institutional support and protection afforded to domestic violence victims.

Structural Violence and Institutional Barriers

• A 2024 study by CATS reports that sex workers face high levels of violence from both clients and police, including raids, verbal abuse, and fines.
• 94% of respondents in the study were migrant women, with half lacking legal residency, making it nearly impossible for them to report crimes without fear of deportation.
• Activists critique mainstream feminist abolitionist approaches, arguing that calls to end sex work often push these women further underground, increasing their vulnerability to harm.

Misogyny and Social Stigma

• According to Feminicidio.net, femicides linked to prostitution are the third most frequent category of recorded femicides, following those by partners and children.
• Advocates emphasize that these crimes are driven by "putofobia" (hatred of sex workers), where the perpetrator feels entitled to dehumanize and inflict violence based on the victim's profession.
• Experts urge a shift in focus: rather than labeling the work itself as the cause of violence, authorities must address the structural misogyny and systemic failures that leave sex workers unprotected.