The 'Community Initiative for Health and Safety' (CIHS) is derived from the two-year 'Living in Community Project' that was conducted in Vancouver, BC. This project is a collaboration of community and government organizations, including peer-based groups formed by current and former sex workers (otherwise known as prostitutes or hookers), neighbourhood houses, community policing centers, business improvement associations, the City of Vancouver, Vancouver Police Department, Vancouver Coastal Health and the Vancouver Agreement.

This collaboration began after decades of declining communication and countless negative consequences affecting the health and safety of sex workers, as well as communities, residents and businesses. A dedicated group of public citizens and government organizations decided that the time had come to start developing strategies that would bridge the gap between these two opposing groups - sex workers and the general population.

The CIHS is an inclusive “toolkit project” that consulted with community regarding ideas, essential resources and strategies needed to best equip themselves when working through the negative impacts of street level sex work. 25 community consultations were held across Vancouver, with the authentic voices of residents, business owners, sex workers and the community at large offering a valuable and much needed perspective in the creation of this “health and safety toolkit”.

Solutions to dealing with visible street level sex work have historically been based on relocation and displacement of sex workers. It has been recognized by many stakeholders that moving the sex industry to different locations and neighborhoods is a lose/lose situation. When we displace peoples involved in the sex industry we expose them to greater risk and further victimize these members of our society.

The Community Initiative for Health and Safety thanks everyone for their valuable insight, both in designing and determining the various tools needed to create this essential and groundbreaking toolkit within Vancouver.