Sex workers are routinely denied the rights and protections accorded to other workers and, as a result, are forced to live and work in dangerous and demeaning conditions. In many instances, sex workers are not entitled these legal protections because of their source of income. In other cases, they are entitled to these rights… but face practical barriers as a result of pervasive stigmatization and prejudice. (Piche et al., 2006)
This comment comes from Pivot Legal Society’s report on law reform for the sex trade, in which they argue for an expansion of their rights as workers and citizens. The report also touches on the difficult circumstances sex trade workers live in, and like other reports (Alderson & Twiss, 2003; Living in Community Project, 2006), raises the issue of stigmatization and prejudice.
The Pivot report also makes a strong case to include sex trade workers in the process of law, policy and social reform. This is beginning to happen: In 2005-06, several consultations with sex trade workers took place in Vancouver, including a meeting with the Mayor about drug maintenance programs and consultations with the Parliamentary Subcommittee on Solicitation Laws, composed of MP’s and Senators from across Canada.
Another informative local report is Living in Community, a two-year study of the sex trade industry in Vancouver. The authors describe a wide spectrum of sex trade work. Our focus in this project is on the group called “survival sex trade workers” defined as: “Anyone who can’t exercise their right to refuse performing sexual acts for food, shelter, drugs, money or other survival necessities” (Living in Community Project, 2006: 36).
The report describes the impacts of sex work in a variety of ways, but the most significant to this study are the impacts connected to violence, health and poverty
According to the report Living in Community, 98% of female sex workers in the Downtown Eastside have been victims of violence resulting from bad datesFootnote 6 (Living in Community Project, 2006: 16). Sex workers are 120 times more likely to be beaten, raped, murdered, kidnapped or mutilated than any other demographic group (p. 37). This is confirmed by earlier studies looking at the lives and histories of sex trade workers in Vancouver (Christensen & Cler-Cunningham, 2001; Currie, Laliberle, Bird, Noelle, & Sprung, 1995; Daum, 1997). In addition, Daum points out that many sex trade workers have been abused as children and in their personal relationships.
Return to footnote 6 When a client attacks a sex trade worker it is called a “bad date”. This could result in a rape, physical attack, serious injury or robbery. Sex trade workers in Vancouver are encouraged to report bad dates to a trusted organization and the information will be reported to the police in a way that does not endanger the women. WISH in cooperation with other organizations in the Downtown Eastside publishes a regular “bad date sheet ” with the names, descriptions, and when possible pictures of dangerous dates.