Sex Work and Stigma in Singapore: A Conversation with Project X

Vanessa Ho, director of Project X Singapore, joins Eva Oh to unpack the legal, medical, and social realities for sex workers in Singapore. They discuss everything from navigating hostile systems and language barriers to launching a powerful anthology written by sex workers themselves. With 14 years on the frontline, Vanessa sheds light on criminalisation, community, and what real progress could look like.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

Here are the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.

(00:00) - Welcome. What is #teakink

(00:21) - Vanessa, Director of Project X Singapore

(01:25) - How Project X Helps Sex Workers - a lot!

(04:30) - Sex Work Legalities in Singapore

(06:40) - Accessing Health Services Awkwardly as a Sex Worker

(08:58) - Their Book Project - A Singaporean Sex Worker Anthology

(12:40) - What We Have Learned in Our 14 Years around the Sex Industry

(14:50) - Who is Project X?

(15:45) - Singapore's Sex Work Landscape, Throwing OF Creators into Jail

(19:50) - Working with Parliament

(21:40) - Multi-multi-lingual Outreach Services and Woes

(28:33) - The Fight for Legitimacy and Hopes for Singapore

(31:45) - Trafficking, Domestic Workers and Singapore's Villainisation of the Other