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National Forum 2026
This year's National Forum will be held on Kaurna Country (Adelaide) from 17–19 November. If you'd like to join us, head to the National Forum 2026 page for registration information, accessibility details and FAQs.
NATIONAL FORUM
The Scarlet Alliance National Forum is an annual conference exclusively for past and present sex workers. It serves as a vital platform for networking, sharing experiences, and participating in workshops designed to amplify our voices and strengthen our community.
Once a year, sex workers from across unceded Australia gather for three days of workshops, panels, presentations, community discussions, a rally and a party to celebrate our community.
Whether you’re an independent worker, work in an establishment, create online content, do street-based work, trade sex for favours, sugar, strip or engage in sex work opportunistically, you’re welcome. National Forum brings together sex workers at every stage of their work experience to learn about policy and law reform, develop peer education skills, share knowledge and connect with other sex workers from around the country. Attendance is free for all participants, with catering provided throughout the event.
“Being surrounded by peers made me feel incredibly connected to the sex worker community… I could feel the passion and dedication of the staff and presenters throughout the forum…”
National Forum participant, 2024
What happens at National Forum?
National Forum runs over three days and brings sex workers together from across Australia to network, exchange knowledge and skills, and discuss the policies, laws and issues affecting our community. The program is different every year, shaped by current and former sex workers who contribute their own ideas, expertise and lived experience.
The program includes plenary sessions, where everyone comes together in the main room, and concurrent sessions, where multiple workshops or presentations run at the same time and participants choose which sessions to attend. Selected plenary sessions are often livestreamed, allowing sex workers who can’t attend in person the opportunity to access parts of the program from home.
“National Forum allowed me to network and learn practical skillshare tips with other sex workers that I would have otherwise not have met. In-person peer education and learning about the ways other sex workers keep safe is such a special and invaluable opportunity.”
National Forum participant, 2024
Policy and law reform
Each year, the program features presentations and panel discussions exploring the key research, policy and legal issues affecting sex workers across Australia. These sessions deepen understanding of the issues shaping our work while building knowledge, advocacy skills and community capacity.
“It was very inspiring to be around so many staunch activists, and especially to hear from AMSWAG and ATSISWAG about some of the unique challenges facing POC sex workers.”
National Forum participant, 2025
They also feature contributions from Scarlet Alliance’s advisory groups, who share the priorities and experiences of marginalised sex worker communities, including the Asian Migrant Sex Workers Advisory Group (AMSWAG), Disabled Sex Workers Advisory Group (DSWAG) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sex Worker Advisory Group (ATSISWAG).
Peer education and sex worker skillshare
Peer education workshops are at the heart of National Forum. These interactive, skills-based sessions combine discussion, practical exercises and collaborative learning.
“I really enjoyed the practical skill-share sessions and would like to see more of these as I thought they were engaging and helped me understand how to apply knowledge in a practical way. I feel that I am better equipped for peer education (both formal and informal) after hearing from such a wide variety of presenters, each of whom taught me something new or different.”
National Forum participant, 2024
Each year offers something different. Some workshops are designed for particular areas of sex work or specific sex worker communities, while others are relevant across the industry. From sexual health and safer sex strategies to practical workplace tips and peer education techniques, these sessions provide knowledge and skills you can take back into your work and community.
Community building
Community building sessions create space for sex workers to connect, share experiences and preserve sex worker history. Through workshops, presentations and discussions, these sessions allow sex workers to come together as a community, reflect on our collective progress, and develop strategies for the future.
“The sex worker archiving workshop was a huge highlight for me, and reminded me that archiving and telling our stories is so important for future generations of sex workers. It’s also nice to be reminded by our elders of the legacy and fight that has come before us.”
National Forum participant, 2025
Member organisation reports
National Forum also provides dedicated time for Scarlet Alliance member organisations to report on their work over the past year. These plenary sessions offer valuable insights into the key policy issues affecting sex workers in each state and territory, as well as the important outreach work and community building activities being undertaken by peer organisations across the country.
Umbrella Room
The Umbrella Room is a dedicated space filled with sexual health resources and sex worker skillshare materials, offering a wide range of resources and learning opportunities to support sex workers’ health, safety and wellbeing. It is a place for you to browse information, discover new resources from across the country and connect with other sex workers.
“I appreciated how the venue was thoughtfully planned with different rooms dedicated to specific purposes and/or sessions. The ‘Umbrella Room’ was a fantastic idea as it made peer educators easily accessible and brought together all sexual health, WHS, and skill-share resources in one place.”
National Forum participant, 2024
The Umbrella Room also provides an opportunity for the local peer organisation in the host state or territory to collaborate with Scarlet Alliance through outreach and resource distribution, including free safer sex packs containing PPE, lubricant and educational materials.
Rally
Each year, National Forum includes a rally connected to an issue relevant to the host state or territory. It’s an opportunity for sex workers and allies to come together, show solidarity, raise awareness and hear from community speakers.
“In attending the gathering in Belmore Park the depth of understanding; articulation and confidence in presenting on the issues has left a lasting impression. As a long term advocate for workers rights I feel our movement is in excellent hands with such a committed, intelligent and passionate younger generation”
National Forum participant, 2025
Whore of the Year Party
The Whore of the Year Party and Awards Night is a sex worker-only celebration featuring performances, music, dancing and drinks. It’s a chance to connect, celebrate our community and recognise the people who make our movement stronger.
The Whore of the Year Award honours a sex worker who has inspired our community and made a significant contribution to the sex worker rights movement. Nominating and voting are exclusive member benefits. If you’d like to nominate someone or cast your vote, join the Scarlet Alliance membership at least XXXXXXXXX DAYS before the event.
Food, rest and remembrance
Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea are provided each day, with dietary requirements catered for. Tea, coffee and water are also available throughout the conference. Wherever possible, catering is sourced from social enterprises, not-for-profit kitchens and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander catering businesses.
Throughout National Forum, a quiet room is available for anyone who needs time away from the busy conference environment. Set up by the host state or territory member organisation or a local community member, the space provides a low-sensory environment where participants can rest, regulate or simply take a break. The room typically includes comfortable seating, fidget toys, sensory items and other resources to support wellbeing, and everyone is welcome to use it whenever they need.
“I really liked the quiet room. The sensory toys especially were a lovely touch.”
National Forum participant, 2024
National Forum also includes a quiet remembrance space to honour members of our community who have passed away. You’re welcome to bring flowers, photographs or small mementos to place on the shrine, add a name or message, or simply spend time in reflection. It’s a gentle, peer-held space for grief, love and remembrance.
Why attend National Forum?
National Forum is one of the best opportunities to connect with the sex worker community. It’s a space to meet other sex workers, build lasting friendships and strengthen your professional network, whether that’s during a workshop, over a shared meal or celebrating together at the Whore of the Year Party. For many of us, it’s also an opportunity to experience a genuine sense of belonging alongside peers who understand us.
The conference also provides an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the policies, laws and issues that impact sex workers in Australia. You’ll hear from peers with a wide range of lived experiences, learn about the work of Scarlet Alliance’s member organisations across the country, and gain a broader understanding of the challenges and achievements of our movement.
Peer education has always been at the heart of our community. It’s how sex workers share knowledge, develop skills and keep each other safe. National Forum creates dedicated space for that knowledge exchange to happen. Through workshops, discussions and conversations with peers, you’ll leave with practical ideas, strategies and resources you can apply to your own work while contributing your own experience to strengthen our collective knowledge.
“Being surrounded by peers made me feel incredibly connected to the sex worker community, and I felt completely safe in that space.”
National Forum participant, 2024
If you've ever traded sex for money, drugs or favours, you're one of us.
National Forum welcomes current and former sex workers, including independent workers and escorts, brothel and establishment workers, erotic massage providers, sugar babies, strippers and peep show workers, content creators and porn performers, street-based and opportunistic workers, and anyone who has traded sex for money, drugs or favours. Our community is diverse, and National Forum reflects that.
To keep National Forum a genuinely peer-led space, sex industry owners, operators and managers cannot attend, even if they are current or former sex workers themselves. This also includes sex workers who have control over another sex worker’s work.
A sex worker-only, safer space.
National Forum is created by sex workers, for sex workers. Keeping it peer-only allows us to have honest conversations, share experiences openly, build trust with one another and strengthen our community.
To protect that space, everyone who registers is verified as a current or former sex worker before attending, and venue details are only shared once registration has been confirmed. We also ask everyone attending not to share the location of National Forum or other sex worker-only events with non-sex workers, including friends, family members and partners. We also request that participants be mindful when posting on social media, ensuring photos, captions and comments don’t reveal the venue or its location.
We want National Forum to be a welcoming, engaging and supportive space where sex workers feel comfortable being themselves. It’s a place where we care for one another, where different experiences and perspectives are respected, and where disagreement is welcomed as an opportunity to learn from each other and strengthen our movement. Creating that environment is a shared responsibility, and we ask everyone attending to help foster a safer, sex worker-positive space where everyone can participate. Before attending, we encourage everyone to read our safer spaces policy or watch our short video about how we approach Safer Spaces at National Forum.
“Every year I return home feeling more informed and amped to keep doing my job.”
National Forum participant, 2024