Membership

Scarlet Alliance is an incorporated association made up entirely of past and current sex workers. As the national peak body for sex workers in Australia, we are a membership-based organisation grounded in the leadership and expertise of our community. Our membership includes state and territory sex worker organisations and projects, as well as individual sex workers from across the country.

Becoming a member of Scarlet Alliance means supporting the collective voice of sex workers in Australia and contributing to the direction of our national peak body. Our work is shaped by the knowledge, priorities, and leadership of our members.

Membership is open to current and former sex workers in Australia who support Scarlet Alliance’s mission and purposes. Sex workers who are also sex industry managers, receptionists, or who otherwise have control over the work of another sex worker are not eligible to apply.

Membership is community.

Becoming an individual member of Scarlet Alliance connects you with a national network of sex workers. Members receive exclusive updates and alerts, hear about workshops and opportunities from sex worker organisations across the country, and get early notice of job openings and community events.

Membership also gives you early registration to the annual National Forum, a flagship event that brings sex workers together from across Australia. The Forum strengthens community connections, facilitates the exchange of knowledge and practical skills, and provides a space to discuss policy and key issues affecting sex workers. It’s a peer-led environment that fosters learning, advocacy, and collaboration, reinforcing the collective expertise and solidarity of the sex worker community.

Being part of Scarlet Alliance also means celebrating and recognising our peers. Members can nominate and vote for the annual Whore of the Year Award, presented at the National Forum, highlighting the contributions and achievements of sex workers in Australia.

Membership is knowledge.

Membership gives you exclusive access to the Scarlet Alliance National Training Program (SANTP), a self-directed online program designed to build the skills, knowledge, and confidence of sex worker community members, advocates, and peer educators across Australia. Developed and delivered by sex workers, for sex workers, SANTP sets the benchmark for best practice in community capacity building, providing a nationally consistent, peer-led framework that strengthens knowledge sharing and supports high-quality peer education. Members receive support from the training coordinator and opportunities to participate in group learning with other learners in the program.

Members also receive updates whenever new resources are added or updated in Red Book Online, Scarlet Alliance’s national resource on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and blood-borne viruses (BBVs). Created by sex workers for sex workers, Red Book provides essential, evidence-based information on STI and BBV transmission, prevention, testing, treatment, and skill sharing. It empowers sex workers to make informed choices about our health while connecting the community with trusted, peer-led harm reduction strategies.

Membership is advocacy.

Membership gives you the opportunity to make your voice heard on the issues that affect sex workers at a national level. Scarlet Alliance works alongside our member organisations to ensure the needs, experiences, and expertise of sex workers shape policy, practice, and community understanding across Australia. As a member, you can participate in member-only consultations that help guide the positions we take on policy and sex worker resources, including sexual health and skill-sharing tools. These consultations give you the opportunity to share information with peers, stay connected, and take part in conversations that shape the priorities of our community.

Membership is leadership.

Membership gives you a direct role in the governance and decision-making of Scarlet Alliance. As a member, you can submit pre-registered motions and vote at our General Meetings, including the Annual General Meeting (AGM). At the AGM, members are briefed on the organisation’s work, receive reports from the CEO and Committee, and changes, if any, to the Scarlet Alliance constitution are decided.

Members also influence Scarlet Alliance’s operations and strategic direction by electing the Committee responsible for guiding our work. You can step into a leadership role yourself by nominating for elected positions on the Committee, contributing your experience, shaping organisational priorities, and supporting the advancement of sex worker rights at a national level.

By participating in governance and leadership, members help ensure that Scarlet Alliance remains accountable, community-led, and guided by the voices of sex workers in Australia.

The process

Submitting an application does not automatically grant membership. After you apply, your nominated moving member will be contacted by email to confirm that they agree to move your application. The Scarlet Alliance Committee then reviews applications at its monthly meeting and decides whether to admit or reject each applicant.

Your details

Your membership details, including the name and contact information you choose to provide, are recorded in Scarlet Alliance’s membership register, which is securely stored in the cloud. We take reasonable steps to protect your information and will notify members if any data breach occurs.

Your moving member

Membership applications must be supported by a current Scarlet Alliance member. We call this a ‘moving member’. Please ensure you have contacted your nominated moving member before submitting your application to confirm that they agree to move your membership. After you apply, they will receive an email asking them to confirm their support. If they decline or do not respond, you will receive an email with further instructions.

If you do not know a current member who can support your application, you will be contacted by the Scarlet Alliance office to verify your eligibility.

Your payment

You can choose how much you pay for your membership, from a waived fee ($0) up to $110. Payment can be made through our online payment processor (preferred) or via bank transfer. Membership is renewed annually, and you will select the amount you wish to contribute each year.

Every dollar contributed through membership supports Scarlet Alliance’s ongoing advocacy for the health, rights, and safety of sex workers, and helps fund programs and services that are essential to our vision of an Australia where sex workers can work and live free from discrimination and criminalisation.

Your membership renewal

Membership runs for 12 months from the date it is approved. You will receive an annual renewal reminder asking you to confirm that you intend to remain a member and select the membership fee you wish to contribute for the coming year. If your membership is not renewed, it will be suspended two months after the renewal date and will cease one month later if it remains unrenewed.

Apply for membership today.

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