Slide 2 A SAFE in Collingwood presentation: Working together to
create a community that is safe and healthy for everyone. Slide 3
Slide 4 Sex work Awareness For Everyone Slide 5 SAFE Values &
Guiding Principles: Embrace diversity and respect all people Enable
participation of all people Foster positive change through learning
and capacity building Stand against exploitation and social
injustice Create understanding and build community Be open to
listening and understanding different perspectives Slide 6 WISH
Drop-in Centre Society HUSTLE PACE Society Living in Community
Seniors Residents Local Schools VCH - Evergreen Community Health
Centre Collingwood Business Improvement Assn Collingwood
Neighbourhood House Vancouver Police Department Collingwood
Community Policing Centre Youth VPL: Collingwood Branch Slide 7
This presentation is for staff, management, and volunteers at
community service organizations. Slide 8 At the end of this session
we hope you understand: The important role you play as part of the
neighbourhood and the need for all community members to feel
welcome Your rights and responsibilities to ensure your staff,
volunteers and clients feel safe That sex workers are also part of
this neighbourhood and have rights as well as responsibilities The
needs of sex workers who live and work in this neighbourhood The
tools and resources that are available to you to enhance your
services and create a welcoming environment for all members of the
community Slide 9 Sex workers are part of our community and have
the same right to access services and to be welcomed like any other
community member Accessibility means removing any barriers that
might prevent people from accessing services Community services
include education, social services, the library, neighbourhood
houses, and community or recreation centres Slide 10 Barriers may
be physical or social Removing barriers that impact marginalized
people requires us to examine our physical environment and our
organizational policies and practices Slide 11 Slide 12 Overcrowded
waiting rooms and lobbies are intimidating: role of receptionist is
critical Monitor to ensure that clients are not harassed by other
clients Consider evening hours Slide 13 Are your staff friendly? Do
they say hello to everyone? If a client is confused, do staff go
out of their way to help? Privacy: can you offer services
specifically FOR sex workers without outing them? Are your staff
trained to deal with a client in distress? Do you have resources on
hand to offer the sex worker? Slide 14 Research has demonstrated
that some members of marginalized communities lose their ability to
read any human expression except disgust as that is often the only
expression they see... Martin, L., Clair, J., Davis, P., ORyan, D.,
Hoshi, R. and Curran, H. V. (2006), Enhanced recognition of facial
expressions of disgust in opiate users receiving maintenance
treatment. Addiction, 101: 15981605. doi:
10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01574.x Slide 15 Impacts of stigma: low
self-esteem & diminished self-confidence demoralization poor
perceived quality of life social withdrawal fear of being judged
negatively low expectations & few demands on services Womens
Health Research Network, 2010 Slide 16 Stigma, in the context of
sex work, is: Based on misconceptions rather than empirical
evidence About discrediting and marking people as other Perceiving
others as different can lead to discrimination The Toolkit: Ottawa
Area Sex Workers Speak Out Slide 17 Become conscious of your own
values, prejudices & attitudes & seek to understand the
motivation behind them Avoid assumptions such as assuming a sex
worker is a drug addict, has low self-esteem, carries disease,
wants out of the industry or is a bad parent Respond to the sex
workers stated needs, not the fact that s/he is a sex worker Above
all, treat the sex worker the way you would treat anyone else Slide
18 On the next two slides you will see four images of a young
woman. While you view these images, think about: What is your first
impression of her? What feelings do you have about her? What do you
think you might know about her? Slide 19 Slide 20 90% of human
communication is non-verbal Slide 21 Some sex workers have Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder and can react strongly to: sudden loud
sounds, sudden movements, physical proximity etc. Consider staff
training to become trauma-informed An excellent resource:
www.traumainformed.ca (click on Toolkit)www.traumainformed.ca Slide
22 Some sex workers have addiction issues Set clear boundaries such
as individuals must be well when in your premises Setting time
limits for use of bathrooms or telephones is a good idea Slide 23
Culture is influenced by many factors, such as race, gender,
religion, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and
life experience. The extent to which particular factors influence a
person will vary. In Vancouver, most sex workers are Caucasian but
there are a significant number who are of Aboriginal and Asian
descent. Aboriginal women are over-represented in street-based sex
work; Asian women are over-represented in massage parlours. Seek to
broaden your understanding of cultural concepts & issues. Slide
24 To be recognized as full citizens To be listened to without
being judged To be taken seriously To be integrated into the
community To have their human rights recognized and respected To
have access to public services without discrimination To have
access to work-related social & judicial services The Toolkit:
Ottawa Area Sex Workers Speak Out Slide 25 Organizationally
Organizational change process Physical environment Observation of
clients (who comes and who doesnt) Individually Examine your
personal beliefs Seek more information Dont be afraid to reach out
and ask questions What do you and your organization need to know or
understand better in order to provide more accessible services?
Slide 26 Sex work is ILLEGAL In Canada Selling or purchasing sexual
services is legal; However, some activities associated with sex
work are not. Slide 27 Sex workers set themselves up for violence
No one ever deserves to be assaulted, sexually assaulted, or
murdered. Slide 28 All sex workers were sexually abused as children
While it may be true that some sex workers have experienced abuse
as children, the same can be said of any occupation. Slide 29 All
sex workers are drug addicts Sex work is as diverse as any other
occupation where some workers have addiction issues and some do
not. Slide 30 Sex workers spread HIV and other sexually transmitted
infections to the public. Sex workers practice safe sex at much
higher rates than the general public. Sex workers are no more
responsible to prevent the spread of HIV than any other sexually
active person. Slide 31 All sex workers want to get out of the
industry While some sex workers do want to get out, many others do
not. Furthermore, for those who do want to get out, there is a lack
of services to assist them in doing so. Slide 32 All sex workers
are young women While the majority of sex workers are believed to
be female, there are large numbers of male and transgender sex
workers as well. Some sex workers continue working right up to
retirement age. Slide 33 All sex workers are forced into the sex
industry Individuals enter sex work for a variety of reasons, most
often economic. Those who are forced or exploited are very isolated
and there is limited knowledge about who they are and how best to
support them. Slide 34 Raids of brothels and massage parlours
rescues sex workers and victims of trafficking Empowering sex
workers to work with law enforcement to identify and assist those
people who have been coerced is an effective way to support sex
workers. Slide 35 Sex work is an easy way to make a lot of money
Remuneration for sex work varies with the type and location of
work. Income can fluctuate widely from day to day. Slide 36 All
clients of sex workers are men who want to hurt women. Not all sex
workers are women. Clients come in all ages and from all walks of
life. Much of sex work does not involve violence. Slide 37 Sex work
is degrading Let people name their own experience. We are all the
experts in our own lives. This is a value judgment that leads to
discrimination and dehumanization. Slide 38 There are sex work
support organizations throughout Canada who are happy to provide
information to members of the public. An excellent start:
www.powerottawa.ca and download their toolkit.www.powerottawa.ca
Slide 39 Kerry Porth, Sex Trade Educator SAFE Public Education
Committee Brette Little, Model
