Understanding Sex Work

1. Understanding Sex Work A SAFE in Collingwood presentation: Working together to create a community that is safe and healthy for everyone.

2. The goal of SAFE in Collingwood is to create a community that is healthier and safer for every community member in relation to the issues of sex work and sexual exploitation.

3. Sex work Awareness For Everyone

4. Embrace diversity and respect all people • Enable participation of all people • Foster positive change through learning and capacity building • Stand against exploitation and social injustice • Create understanding and build community • Be open to listening and understanding different perspectives SAFE Values & Guiding Principles:

5. SAFE has a wide diversity of partnerships with local agencies, residents and sex worker organizations. Seniors Living in Community WISH Drop-in Centre Society Local Schools VCH - Evergreen Community Health Centre Youth Collingwood Business Improvement Ass’n PACE Society Collingwood Neighbourhood House HUSTLE Residents VPL: Collingwood Branch Vancouver Police Department Collingwood Community Policing Centre

6. Good Neighbours This presentation is for residents in neighbourhoods impacted by the sex trade.

7. Goals for this session At the end of this session we hope you understand: The important role you play as part of the neighbourhood and the need for all community members to feel welcome That sex workers are also part of this neighbourhood and have rights as well as responsibilities How to respectfully engage with sex workers When to ask for help

8. Problems for Residents The presence of litter such as used condoms, condom wrappers and syringes Safety concerns related to the presence of sex workers, their clients, and pimps Increased traffic and noise Concern for the health and safety of sex workers

9. Sex Work & the Law Selling or purchasing sexual services has never been illegal in Canada However, there are laws that prohibit some activities associated with sex work such as public solicitation, or paying for sexual services from someone under the age of 18 Everybody is free to stand in public places

10. Social Barriers Research has demonstrated that some members of marginalized communities lose their ability to read any human expression except disgust as that is often the only expression they see ... Martin, L., Clair, J., Davis, P., O’Ryan, D., Hoshi, R. and Curran, H. V. (2006), Enhanced recognition of facial expressions of disgust in opiate users receiving maintenance treatment. Addiction, 101: 1598–1605. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01574.x

11. Understanding Stigma Impacts of stigma: low self-esteem & diminished self-confidence demoralization poor perceived quality of life social withdrawal fear of being judged negatively low expectations & few demands on services Women’s Health Research Network, 2010

12. Overcoming Stigma Stigma, in the context of sex work, is: Based on misconceptions rather than empirical evidence About discrediting and ‘marking’ people as ‘other’ Perceiving others as different can lead to discrimination The Toolkit: Ottawa Area Sex Workers Speak Out

13. Overcoming Social Barriers Become conscious of your own values, prejudices & attitudes & seek to understand the motivation behind them Avoid assumptions such as assuming a sex worker is a drug addict, has low self-esteem, carries disease, wants out of the industry or is a bad parent Above all, treat the sex worker the way you would treat anyone else

14. Reaching out • Your personal safety must come first • Sex workers may fear you • Building trust takes time and patience • 90% of communication is non-verbal • Know your boundaries • Be mindful of your own agenda • Don’t make assumptions

15. Who to Call for Help Excessive noise 604 717-3321 Used syringes 311 Outreach services 604 717-2935 Violent crime in progress 911

16. Someone is acting strangely Some sex workers have addiction issues Overuse of stimulant drugs Overuse of depressant drugs What to do if someone is unresponsive

17. What Sex Workers Need To be recognized as full citizens To be listened to without being judged To be taken seriously To be integrated into the community To have their human rights recognized and respected To have access to public services without discrimination To have access to work-related social & judicial services The Toolkit: Ottawa Area Sex Workers Speak Out

18. More Information The next section of this presentation will provide you with some more information about sex work and sex workers. www.livingincommunity.ca

19. Reality Myth Selling or purchasing sexual services is legal; However, some activities associated with sex work are not. Sex work is ILLEGAL In Canada

20. Reality Myth No one ever deserves to be assaulted, sexually assaulted, or murdered. Sex workers set themselves up for violence

21. Reality Myth While it may be true that some sex workers have experienced abuse as children, the same can be said of any occupation. All sex workers were sexually abused as children

22. Reality Myth Sex work is as diverse as any other occupation where some workers have addiction issues and some do not. All sex workers are drug addicts

23. Reality Myth Sex workers practice safe sex at much higher rates than the general public. Sex workers are no more responsible to prevent the spread of HIV than any other sexually active person. Sex workers spread HIV and other sexually transmitted infections to the public.

24. Reality Myth While some sex workers do want to get out, many others do not. Furthermore, for those who do want to get out, there is a lack of services to assist them in doing so. All sex workers want to get out of the industry

25. Reality Myth While the majority of sex workers are believed to be female, there are large numbers of male and transgender sex workers as well. Some sex workers continue working right up to retirement age. All sex workers are young women

26. Reality Myth Individuals enter sex work for a variety of reasons, most often economic. Those who are forced or exploited are very isolated and there is limited knowledge about who they are and how best to support them. All sex workers are forced into the sex industry

27. Reality Myth Empowering sex workers to work with law enforcement to identify and assist those people who have been coerced is an effective way to support sex workers. Raids of brothels and massage parlours rescues sex workers and victims of trafficking

28. Reality Myth Remuneration for sex work varies with the type and location of work. Income can fluctuate widely from day to day. Sex work is an easy way to make a lot of money

29. Reality Myth Not all sex workers are women. Clients come in all ages and from all walks of life. Much of sex work does not involve violence. All clients of sex workers are men who want to hurt women.

30. Reality Myth Let people name their own experience. We are all the experts in our own lives. This is a value judgment that leads to discrimination and dehumanization. Sex work is degrading

31. For more information ... There are sex work support organizations throughout Canada who are happy to provide information to members of the public. An excellent start: www.powerottawa.ca and download their “toolkit”. Supporting the work of support and outreach services to sex workers in your community, in addition to reaching out as an individual, will contribute to health and safety for everyone.

32. Acknowledgements Kerry Porth, Sex Trade Educator SAFE Public Education Committee Brette Little, Model