Distribution of condoms, on-call support at escort agencies, and backing for “advocacy efforts and self-organization” of sex workers — these were some of the activities carried out by the group Sex Work Polska (now known as Kolektyw Kamelia). The organization was a co-founder of the Social Policy Foundation “Prekursor,” which years ago received PLN 1.3 million from the Warsaw City Hall for one of its programs.
At the end of 2019, Deputy Justice Minister Sebastian Kaleta compiled a report estimating that the Warsaw authorities allocated PLN 7 million to LGBT organizations between 2017 and 2019.
He stated at the time that the figure was based on financial documentation submitted by several groups benefiting from the city’s support.
Among the grant recipients were the Foundation for Social Education and the Social Policy Foundation “Prekursor.” Together, the two organizations received PLN 1,334,015.
Support for Prostitution?
At that time, “Prekursor” collaborated with the informal national coalition for the rights of sex workers in Poland, Sex Work Polska (now Kolektyw Kamelia). The group’s mission included supporting the “self-organization and self-determination” of sex workers, and combating their stigmatization and discrimination.
One of their stated goals was to have sex work recognized as legitimate labor and to oppose any form of criminalization of sex work.
Even linguistically, the organization made efforts to reframe and differentiate socially charged terms — deliberately avoiding the word “prostitution.”
In one of its projects, coordinated by the Sex Work Polska team, condoms were distributed, staff were on duty at escort agencies, and a daytime drop-in center was run.
During one discussion summarizing different forms of sex work, the event concluded with a “performance by a strip queen.”
“TVN planning hit piece on Nawrocki”
Kaleta brought up the matter from several years ago while warning that TVN is allegedly preparing a smear campaign against Karol Nawrocki, the civic presidential candidate.
“TVN is preparing yet another false hit piece on Karol Nawrocki. As for the subject matter of the ‘report,’ let me remind you that under Rafał Trzaskowski in Warsaw, an organization promoting prostitution carried out projects in cooperation with other NGOs via the Prekursor foundation — funded with over a million zlotys from the city,” said the MP.