sex work fact sheet part 1

POWER?S

SEX WORK FACT SHEET:

History of Prostitution in Ottawa

Prostitution, escorts, dancers, and street sex workers have long been a part of life in Ottawa. Street sex workers, more specifically, have peacefully co-existed with the working class inhabitants of the Byward Market for over 150 years. Interests began competing more explicitly only in the early 1980s when, in a process of urban renewal, upwardly-mobile citizens began purchasing property in this centrally-located area. These new residents brought with them cultural, political and economic capital that allowed them to redefine the neighbourhood. Concerted efforts culminated in a number of initiatives that worked to the determent of sex workers and rendered them more vulnerable to violence. Among other things workers were displaced to dimly lit and sparsely inhabited areas as well as moving to new strolls in Vanier and Hintonburg. This also increased the level of violence experienced by street sex workers.

Legal Context

Although prostitution itself (the exchange of sexual services for financial compensation) is not illegal in Canada, the Canadian Criminal Code prohibits the public solicitation of business (?communicating?), the management and use of regular work sites (?bawdy houses), and any other managerial or partnered activity (?procuring?). Essentially, in order to work in the sex industry legally, one needs to work in complete isolation and silence. Sex workers are currently required to work under such circumstances if they wish to avoid arrest and incarceration. Needless to say, most workers are unable to meet these requirements.

Unlike other cities such as Toronto and Montreal where the police attempt to foster open communication with sex workers and their organizations, the Ottawa Police Services has rejected this in favor of punitive reactionary initiatives. Most notably, a new nine-person unit focused on street crimes (including prostitution) was established on November 19, 2007 and to date and continues to target street based sex workers. Equally troubling is a problematic initiative whereby owners of vehicles that appear to be ?visiting neighbourhoods for solicitation? and are seen speaking to a ?known prostitute? receive a ?community safety letter? in the mail. Not only does this approach undermine worker safety but it raises serious concerns about civil liberties

One would think that a nine-person unit would increase the level of attention sex workers would receive when they, themselves, are victims of crime. However, the Ottawa Police Service has a dismal record when it comes to protecting sex workers or defending their rights. In a 2006 study

Our Canadian government has admitted to the need to reform prostitution law, and based on experiences all over Canada of police abuse of sex workers, its time to make a change and for Ottawa police not only to be accountable for their mistreatment of sex workers, but to stand in line for calls to repeal current legislative systems that abuse, disrespect, and deny sex workers? of their fundamental rights to freedom, dignity, and respect.

Demands:

10 MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

ABOUT SEX WORK

Myth #1: Sex workers are responsible for the spread of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and STIs

Fact: All people who are sexually active can be vulnerable to HIV infection, depending on the precautions they may or may not take when they are engaging in sex. Most sex workers protect themselves against HIV infection at work, because they need to preserve their bodies so that they may continue to work. Sex workers have also, historically, been organizing around their rights to access to non-discriminatory healthcare and have been instrumental in ensuring sex workers? health and safety when on the job. Where HIV rates are high amongst sex workers in other countries, sex workers experience higher rates of police repression. Police repression and criminalization augment the risk for HIV infection.

Myth #2: Sex work is illegal in Canada

Fact: The exchange of sexual services for compensation, financial or otherwise, is not and has never been illegal in Canada. There are, however, laws against communicating for the purposes of prostitution (CCC. Section 213); working indoors (the bawdy house provisions (CCC. Section 210); and against working collectively (provisions against procuring and living off the avails of prostitution, CCC. Section 212). These laws effectively undermine workers? ability to work safely and securely (see why decriminalize, this handout).

Myth #3 Sex workers are drug addicts

Fact: As is the case with the Canadian population in general some sex workers use illicit substances; however, there is considerable variability by gender, industry sector, and region. The assertion that the majority of sex workers are drug addicts is not empirically substantiated.

Myth #4: Sex workers are women

Fact: While the majority of the people working within the sex industry are women, all sex workers, including male, transsexual, and female sex workers are, in fact, criminalized. Female and male-to-female (MTF) transsexuals are at most risk of police repression due to their marginalization.

Myth #6: Most sex work occurs on the street

Fact: Street work accounts for 5 ? 20% of sex work. This sector is disproportionably targeted by the public and by the police in 2007? 94% of all Criminal Code charges are against street workers and their clients.

Myth #7: Sex workers are controlled by pimps

Fact: Stereotypes portray the pimp as a man who controls a sex worker?s work and income. The 2007 report of the Parliamentary Subcommittee on Soliciting concluded, however, that most sex workers are independent workers who are neither coerced nor tricked into the industry. Some sex workers choose to work and associate with other colleagues to share resources, such as a workplace. Others prefer to work for employers who can give them a more fixed schedule. The current laws around pimping prevent sex workers from working in groups, or from working with other people for protection. It forces isolation on sex workers.

Myth #8: Sex work is exploitation

Fact: Exploitation exists because there are no labour standards to protect sex workers. Sex work is frequently characterized by occasional, part-time and sporadic, and autonomous engagement.

Myth #9: Criminalizing clients is an appropriate solution to the ?problem?

Fact: Most customers are respectful and considerate consumers of the services offered by adult sex workers. Many have authentic relationships that last for months or years with the worker providing them with services. As the experience in Sweden has shown, criminalizing clients increases the danger to sex workers and undermines the ability of workers to implement security measures.

Myth #10: Sex workers are criminals and therefore forfeit the rights and privileges of citizens

Fact: Sex workers retain all the rights as citizens. In principle this means that, like everyone else in Canada, sex workers are guaranteed freedom of expression; freedom of association; the right to life, liberty and security; the right to be presumed innocent until found guilty; and the right to equality. Sex workers, like all citizens (again in principle) enjoy a series of entitlements under international human rights laws. In addition to the aforementioned these include ? the right to freely choose a job; fair and safe labour conditions; social security; and an adequate standard of living.

References and Further Information

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Myth #5: Sex work is violence

Fact: Though violence is not inherent to the sex industry, Canadian sex workers do experience extremely high rates of physical, sexual and economic exploitation and violence. According to a 2006 Statistics Canada report, 171 female sex workers had been killed between 1991 and 2004 and 45% of these homicides which remained unsolved. The authors noted that ?violence against sex workers often goes unnoticed?.