Consultations
Our consultation process took on the form of a needs assessment within communities, in order to research and evaluate the knowledge base in the community with respect to street level sex work. A number of neighbourhood dialogues took place where community members were encouraged to attend and participate in brainstorming sessions regarding ideas, essential resources and strategies needed to best equip communities when working through the negative impacts of street level sex work. Authentic voices of residents, business owners, sex workers and the community at large offer a valuable and much needed perspective in creating neighbourhoods that are safer and healthier for us all to live and work in. Consultations were facilitated in a “World Café” style to help promote safe and comfortable spaces in the hopes of attracting all community members, some of which traditionally do not access the various resources that are available in communities. In order to generate stimulating conversations relevant to the issue, four questions were posed to the community members that were designed to explore and problem solve:
- If you live, work, play or visit a neighbourhood where there is street level sex work, what are some of your concerns?
- Imagine a carpenter’s toolbox. When you look inside you will probably see a hammer, screwdriver, wrench, nails etc… Now picture a health and safety toolbox for all community members that would improve or even prevent some of the concerns you have shared in your groups. What do you see?
- How do you think these tools would improve the health and safety for all members of community?
- Using Prevention, Intervention, Education and Awareness as a model, which strategies would you like to see implemented and how?
Consul tees
Aboriginal Mother’s Centre
Action Research and Advocacy Association of Greater Vancouver (ARA-Mental Health)
Adolescent Street Unit (Re-Connect)
Broadway Youth Resource Centre
Business Improvement Associations (Vancouver Area)
Coastal Health Authorities
Community Policing Centres
Forgotten Triangle
Living in Community
Network Youth Gathering Fair
Prostitution Alternatives Counselling and Education Society (PACE Society Staff)
Prostitution Alternatives Counselling and Education Society (PACE BOARD)
Prostitutes’ Empowerment Education and Resource Society (PEERS Vancouver Staff)
Prostitutes’ Empowerment Education and Resource Society (PEERS Vancouver Clients)
Residents of Vancouver
Roundhouse Arts and Recreational Centre
Sex Workers
Street Nurses
Vice Squad
Vancouver Police Department
WATARI
Youth of Vancouver
These consultations yielded much rich information. Below is a brief summary of some of some of the common themes and responses that came out of our dialogue process:
Prevention:
- separate issues of drug addiction and sex work(dispelling myths)
- threats to youth from drug dealers and pimp recruitment
- give sex workers all the rights and freedoms of other law abiding citizens
- deglamourizing the sex industry (Hollywood PRETTY WOMAN myths)
- peer to peer prevention programs in schools, community centres
- how to be a good witness
- first aid info/disposal for drug paraphernalia
Education:
- bridging the social gap between all community members (how to approach and interact with a sex worker and vice versa)
- comic book for youth
- good neighbour agreement-put some responsibility back on sex workers
- mutual respect between all community members
- posters in communities re: sex work exists in your neighbourhood, they are people too
- youth friendly website for the purpose of education/prevention of sexual exploitation/dispelling myths, etc.
- educate our communities about the history of sex work in Vancouver
- educational material needs to be inclusive of people’s language, learning abilities and impairments
Intervention/Enforcement:
- need alternative to 911 (not appropriate for some sex work issues)
- foot patrols in place to act as safety presence (threatens johns)
- sensitivity training
- need to advise communities of current criminal code concerning sex work
- build healthy, trusting relationships between police and sex workers
- information on how to lobby your government
- information on how to hold a community dialogue
- exiting strategies
- common sense scenarios - don’t put yourself at risk
- liaison with health professionals (including mental health)
Awareness/Harm Reduction:
- resource lists (up to date)
- slogans/affirmations
- basic respect guidelines
- phone numbers of Community Policing Centre (CPC) locations
- access to health services and triage
- map/phone book(magnetic)
- shelter vouchers/free showers/free meals/more detoxification beds
- help obtain housing/current updates
- more drop-in centres for sex workers
- fridge magnets with resource numbers
- bottled water
- rig boxes in alleys
