Systematic removal of safe work Systematic removal of safe work environments.environments.

Years Number of homicidesYears Number of homicides

1960-19641960-1964 00 1965-19691965-1969 00 1970-19741970-1974 00 1975-19791975-1979 33 1980-19841980-1984 88 1985-19891985-1989 2222 1990-19941990-1994 2424 1995-19991995-1999 5555

Risk and safety for Risk and safety for sex industry workerssex industry workers

Risk: exposure to the chance of injury or Risk: exposure to the chance of injury or lossloss

Risk Assessment: an estimate of the Risk Assessment: an estimate of the likelihood of adverse effectslikelihood of adverse effects

4 common steps to risk assessment are:4 common steps to risk assessment are:

To identify what the hazards are;To identify what the hazards are; To identify who might be harmed and how; To identify who might be harmed and how; to implement strategies to mitigate harm;to implement strategies to mitigate harm; And to monitor progress and review And to monitor progress and review

periodically.periodically.

Sex Industry WorkersSex Industry Workersare viewed are viewed asas the risk the risk

Sex workers are seen as the hazard. Sex workers are seen as the hazard. The greater community views the existence The greater community views the existence

of sex industry workers of sex industry workers as as the ‘exposure to the ‘exposure to the chance of injury or loss’ . the chance of injury or loss’ .

If sex workers remain the risk, they will If sex workers remain the risk, they will continue to be excludedcontinue to be excluded

Defining certain kinds of individuals as risk Defining certain kinds of individuals as risk is common because we live in a fear-based is common because we live in a fear-based societysociety

During colonization (no matter the country) it was the “natives”During colonization (no matter the country) it was the “natives” Alcohol-prohibition was the solutionAlcohol-prohibition was the solution lower classed incorrigible white womenlower classed incorrigible white women the communiststhe communists Jewish PeopleJewish People immigrantsimmigrants colored peoplecolored people drug usersdrug users Marijuana itself…Marijuana itself… The hippiesThe hippies homosexualshomosexuals gangsgangs Migrant workers Migrant workers Foreign workers who steal jobsForeign workers who steal jobs Squeegee kidsSqueegee kids The poor…The poor…

Safety DefinedSafety Defined Safety: the state of being safe; freedom Safety: the state of being safe; freedom

from risk from risk ‘‘freedom from this risk’freedom from this risk’ risk assessment strategies require the risk assessment strategies require the

elimination or mitigation of the riskelimination or mitigation of the risk This is occurring especially for street level This is occurring especially for street level

sex workers and survival sex workers. They sex workers and survival sex workers. They are being mitigated… eliminated. are being mitigated… eliminated.

LegislationLegislation

Section 213-Section 213- communication laws communication laws

Results of legislationResults of legislation

Rates of violenceRates of violence: sex workers are 60 to 120 : sex workers are 60 to 120 times more likely to be victims of violence. times more likely to be victims of violence.

Sex Industry Workers suffer the highest rates Sex Industry Workers suffer the highest rates of rapes and assaults of any population in of rapes and assaults of any population in Canadian society. Canadian society.

From the Curb Report From the Curb Report

Sex industry workers have defined risk sexSex industry workers have defined risk sex

workers said the following about who or whatworkers said the following about who or what

poses a threat to them :poses a threat to them : Rapists, murderers, customers who think that Rapists, murderers, customers who think that

they own them they own them The public, who laugh at them, who throw The public, who laugh at them, who throw

things at them, vigilantes, residents, women in things at them, vigilantes, residents, women in particularparticular

The exposure to the chance of injury or The exposure to the chance of injury or loss or Risk for Sex Workers…loss or Risk for Sex Workers…

poor lighting;poor lighting; no safe indoor places to go at night; no safe indoor places to go at night; not being allowed to work in high traffic areas-isolation; not being allowed to work in high traffic areas-isolation; lack of hotels to work in forcing workers to work in lack of hotels to work in forcing workers to work in

cars; cars; the lack of phones; the lack of phones; the lack of response to calls for help;the lack of response to calls for help; the weather;the weather; dealing with customers with mental health and A and D dealing with customers with mental health and A and D

issues;issues; poverty, competition etc.poverty, competition etc.

Hate CrimesHate Crimes

““They pick up and harm working girls They pick up and harm working girls because we are lower class, otherwise because we are lower class, otherwise

they would do this to their wives”they would do this to their wives”

““Its easier to get away with hurting sex Its easier to get away with hurting sex workers because we are not worth workers because we are not worth

anything”anything”

. .

Complex Post Traumatic StressComplex Post Traumatic Stress

Barriers to CollaborationBarriers to Collaboration Provincial victim services were unavailable Provincial victim services were unavailable

to collaborate on strategies; to collaborate on strategies; The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor

General victim support services were General victim support services were largely unknown and had barriers to largely unknown and had barriers to accessibility by sex workers;accessibility by sex workers;

Sex workers who had disclosed they were Sex workers who had disclosed they were sex workers to Victim Services said this sex workers to Victim Services said this limited or eliminated their chances to limited or eliminated their chances to receive supports;receive supports;

Moving forward TogetherMoving forward Together

Review of current available resourcesReview of current available resources

Creation of Sex Worker specific “411”Creation of Sex Worker specific “411”

Meetings between experts, sex workers and Meetings between experts, sex workers and sex worker support agencies.sex worker support agencies.

What we learned togetherWhat we learned together

PTSD was noted as being cumulative however PTSD was noted as being cumulative however those who access Victim Services for compensation those who access Victim Services for compensation or counseling must link their trauma to one or counseling must link their trauma to one incident at one particular time. incident at one particular time.

All stakeholders must work to identify gaps, All stakeholders must work to identify gaps, increase awareness of complex PTSD, increase increase awareness of complex PTSD, increase understanding of factors contributing to PTSD understanding of factors contributing to PTSD amongst sex workers, and create a strategy which amongst sex workers, and create a strategy which can be embraced by the systems responsible for can be embraced by the systems responsible for caring for sex workers that ensures the problems caring for sex workers that ensures the problems of the past are addressed and eliminated. of the past are addressed and eliminated.

Abstinence based funding Abstinence based funding environmentsenvironments

Addiction as a coping mechanism and the dangers Addiction as a coping mechanism and the dangers associated with interrupting people’s coping associated with interrupting people’s coping mechanisms mechanisms

““Get clean” or off of drugs to receive support Get clean” or off of drugs to receive support policies are compounding emotional harm for policies are compounding emotional harm for trauma survivors and are in direct conflict with trauma survivors and are in direct conflict with the recommended treatment for such injuries.the recommended treatment for such injuries.

Emotional stability becomes at risk, symptoms Emotional stability becomes at risk, symptoms could escalate and at the very least recovery will could escalate and at the very least recovery will be seriously impeded. be seriously impeded.

RelapseRelapse

Include treatment of “relapse”. the reasons Include treatment of “relapse”. the reasons for the relapse are examined and addressed.for the relapse are examined and addressed.

New coping strategies and alternatives to New coping strategies and alternatives to self harm can be implemented/ suggested self harm can be implemented/ suggested

““Get clean” but with attention to relapse. Get clean” but with attention to relapse. This way funding for addictions treatment This way funding for addictions treatment becomes available but still respects the becomes available but still respects the symptoms of trauma survivors.symptoms of trauma survivors.

Physical ContactPhysical Contact Physical contact should be a last resortPhysical contact should be a last resort Touching/man handling the victim’s of violent Touching/man handling the victim’s of violent

crimes can further traumatize them. Members crimes can further traumatize them. Members shared how being grabbed or restrained triggered shared how being grabbed or restrained triggered them and contributed to their lack of trust in the them and contributed to their lack of trust in the systems designed to protect them. systems designed to protect them.

The explosive rage and extreme passion of trauma The explosive rage and extreme passion of trauma survivors when triggered can be difficult. survivors when triggered can be difficult.

Monitor their safety but maintain your distance. Monitor their safety but maintain your distance. Only in the most extreme cases should physical Only in the most extreme cases should physical restraint be employed.restraint be employed.

Over/ Under prescribingOver/ Under prescribing Over prescribing feeds addiction and under Over prescribing feeds addiction and under

prescribing forces people to seek other ways prescribing forces people to seek other ways to supplement prescriptions. to supplement prescriptions.

Too much and we are enabling, too little Too much and we are enabling, too little and people will take risks (like work in the and people will take risks (like work in the dangerous street trade) to fill their needs.dangerous street trade) to fill their needs.

See each individual case for what it is then See each individual case for what it is then with potential outcomes in mind asses what with potential outcomes in mind asses what treatment/ prescription to employ.treatment/ prescription to employ.

Blaming trauma survivorsBlaming trauma survivors

There is a tendency to blame the victim in these There is a tendency to blame the victim in these situations. A person who has been abused situations. A person who has been abused repeatedly is sometimes mistaken as someone who repeatedly is sometimes mistaken as someone who has a "weak character." has a "weak character."

Sex Workers are often misdiagnosed by mental Sex Workers are often misdiagnosed by mental health providers as having borderline, dependent, health providers as having borderline, dependent, or masochistic personality disorder. or masochistic personality disorder.

Make yourselves familiar with symptoms and Make yourselves familiar with symptoms and treatment. When a person understands their treatment. When a person understands their symptoms better, they can become less fearful of symptoms better, they can become less fearful of them and better able to manage them.them and better able to manage them.

Parting Thoughts…Parting Thoughts…

Sex worker’s work in and make decisions in Sex worker’s work in and make decisions in environments and under conditions that environments and under conditions that pose risks to their health, safety and rights;pose risks to their health, safety and rights;

Sex industry work is incomeSex industry work is income/solutions based /solutions based in economic security;in economic security;

Sex workers need more opportunities to Sex workers need more opportunities to identify and define the harms they identify and define the harms they experience and to collaborate on strategies;experience and to collaborate on strategies;

Sex industry workers serve as a barometer.Sex industry workers serve as a barometer.

Their health, safety, wellness is indicative ofTheir health, safety, wellness is indicative of

our social programs, supports and values.our social programs, supports and values.

We are calling for the same inclusion… For We are calling for the same inclusion… For

Sex workers to be embraced as formalSex workers to be embraced as formal

contributors to anti-violence discourse, policycontributors to anti-violence discourse, policy

and practiceand practice