Joanna Pióro Interview

Gillian Caldwell interviews Joanna Pióro from Association Aspasie. Aspasie is a Geneva-based organization that works on behalf of sex workers and women who have been trafficked. Pióro talks about the situation of foreign women who come to Switzerland with artist visas and work in cabarets. She explains that women come because they have the false impression they will make money and find a husband. She says that Aspasie regularly visits the hotels or flats where the sex workers live, but it is often difficult to get information about safe sex and AIDS to them because their agents and cabaret owners do not want to help them. Pióro also discusses how much sex workers earn, and explains that their traffickers often keep their passports until they pay off their debts.