Regulating Sex in Canada - Research study

Found by GenevieveLajoi

Someone on another board posted a link to a very interesting research project exploring the regulation of the escort agencies, strip clubs and body rub parlours through Criminal Code and municipal by-law in thirteen municipalities across Canada.

The research project is undertaken by Dr. Mary Whowell from the School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver. As she mentions on the website for the project, the voices of adult entertainers are crucial in debates surrounding the regulation of the adult industry. She is interested in interviewing:

• Managers of escort agencies, strip clubs and body rub parlours.
  
• Men and women working for escort agencies, in strip clubs and in body rub parlours.
  

The researcher comes from a perspective which recognizes and supports the rights of individual sex workers, including their rights to remain in or leave sex work; she has done quite a bit of volunteer work with sex workers organizations and support groups; and from skimming some of her publications, she sounds like someone I would trust to produce a very interesting analysis of the regulation of sex work in Canada. Her methodology looks rigorous and in line with any academic methodology which involves the participations of at risk population - note that as it is standard practice with any academic research, she had to have her project and its methodology approved by the SFU Research Ethics Board.

I would encourage sex workers to contact her to participate in her study. Also note that should you allow her to, the interview will be recorded and transcripted, and participant may request a copy of the written transcript: I strongly suggest you do request such transcript, and carefully review it to make sure that you were understood and quoted properly.

I have myself already contacted her and scheduled an interview with her.

For more info on the research project, the researcher, and her methodology, check out her website: http://www.regulatingsex.com/

http://www.regulatingsex.com/

I have spoken to her as well. She is interested in speaking to any sex worker, for thier opinions on legal issues and licsensing and what not, whether they directly apply to them or not.