Transcript Reality - SAFE in Collingwood

Working together with
health care to create a
community that is safe
and healthy for everyone.
The goal of SAFE in Collingwood is to
create a community that is healthier
and safer for every community
member in relation to the issues of
sex work and sexual exploitation.
Sex work
Awareness
For
Everyone
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
Seniors
WISH Drop-in
Centre Society
Local Schools
Youth
Collingwood Business
Improvement Ass’n
Collingwood
Neighbourhood House
Vancouver
Police
Department
HUSTLE
PACE Society
Living in Community
VCH - Evergreen
Community Health
Centre
Residents
Collingwood
Community
Policing Centre
Jean Watson
 Every Canadian citizen has the right to health care
 Sex workers experience significant barriers to
accessing health care
 These include social, structural, and psychological
barriers

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., O’Ryan, D.,
Hoshi, R. and Curran, H. V. (2006), Enhanced
recognition of facial expressions of disgust in
opiate users receiving maintenance
treatment. Addiction, 101: 1598–1605.
doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01574.x
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
Women’s Health Research Network, 2010

Many women reported experiences with medical
professionals that they found to be disrespectful, punishing,
dismissive, judgmental, stereotyping, and condescending
•
Be conscious of your own values, prejudices, attitudes
and your behaviour. If your values interfere with
meeting the individual’s needs refer them to someone
else.
•
When providing services to a sex worker, avoid focusing
on the work they perform.
•
Educate yourself about the realities of sex work
The Primary Health Care Experiences of Women Who Use Drugs in the
Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside WHRI 2009

While some sex workers have addiction issues,
others do not

Assumption of drug-seeking behaviour

Failure to disclose drug use

Over-prescribed

Rejection of harm reduction principles
The Primary Health Care Experiences of Women Who Use Drugs in the
Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside WHRI 2009
 Reception/Security
• Is everyone greeted with a smile?
• Have you included security personnel in sensitivity training?
 Presence of men
• Can you offer women-only hours?
• Are your staff trained to monitor the waiting
room and intervene if necessary?
 Irregular scheduling
• Are your doctors on a regular schedule?
• Do you allow people to make appointments?
• Can you offer evening hours?

Some sex workers have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
and can react strongly to: sudden loud sounds, sudden
movements, physical proximity etc.

Due regard to personal modesty and boundaries is
critical

Consider staff training to become “trauma-informed”

An excellent resource: www.traumainformed.ca (click
on “Toolkit”)

Culture is defined 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.

Seek to broaden your understanding of cultural concepts &
issues.

An excellent resource: Culturally Sensitive Care (Ontario
Nurses Association)
http://www.cno.org/Global/docs/prac/41040_CulturallySens.pdf
Income & Income Distribution
Education
Unemployment & Job Security
Employment & Working Conditions
Early Childhood Development
Food Insecurity
Housing
Social Exclusion
Social Safety Network
Health Services
Aboriginal Status
Gender
Race
Disability
Beyond the social determinants of health, sex workers’ health is
impacted by many intersecting oppressions:
•
•
•
•
Ethnicity
Sexual orientation
Gender identity
Class, poverty & gender
• Criminalization
• Stigmatization
• Marginalization
POWER: The Toolkit 2011

When providing services to a sex worker, avoid focusing on the
work they perform.

Be conscious of your own values, your prejudices, your
attitudes and your behaviour.

Work to make your workplace sex worker friendly.

Create a resource bank in your organization that will
address sex workers’ specific needs.

Be cognizant of sex work/worker stereotypes.

Recognize sex workers’ expertise.
POWER: The Toolkit 2011

When doing a sexual history intake, remember to ask
questions about personal relationships rather than focusing
on work relations.

Validate and focus on the individual’s needs and expectations.

Inform the individual of health care services available, and do
so in a nonjudgmental way.

Be especially vigilant in guarding the confidential information
provided by sex workers.

Remember that the occupational health and safety needs of
sex workers are not restricted to sexual health.
POWER: The Toolkit 2011
 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
Organizationally
 Organizational change process
 Physical environment
 Observation of clients (who comes and who doesn’t)
Individually
 Examine your personal beliefs
 Seek more information
 Don’t 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?
Sex work is
ILLEGAL
In Canada
Selling or purchasing
sexual services is legal;
However, some activities
associated with sex work
are not.
Sex workers set
themselves up
for violence
No one ever deserves to
be assaulted, sexually
assaulted, or murdered.
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.
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.
Sex workers practice safe
sex at much higher rates
than the general public.
Sex workers spread HIV
and other sexually
Sex workers are no more
transmitted infections to
responsible to prevent
the public.
the spread of HIV than
any other sexually active
person.
While some sex workers
do want to get out, many
others do not.
All sex workers want to
get out of the industry
Furthermore, for those
who do want to get out,
there is a lack of services
to assist them in doing
so.
While the majority of sex
workers are believed to
be female, there are
large numbers of male
All sex workers are young
and transgender
sex workers as well.
women
Some sex workers
continue working right
up to retirement age.
Individuals enter sex work
for a variety of reasons,
most often economic.
All sex workers are forced
into the sex industry
Those who are forced or
exploited are very
isolated and there is
limited knowledge about
who they are and how best
to support them.
Empowering sex workers
to work with law
Raids of brothels and
enforcement to identify
massage parlours rescues
and assist those people
sex workers and victims
who have been coerced is
of trafficking
an effective way to
support sex workers.
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.
Not all sex workers are
women.
All clients of sex workers
Clients come in all ages
are men who want to
and from all walks of life.
hurt women.
Much of sex work does
not involve violence.
Let people name their
own experience.
Sex work is degrading
We are all the experts in
our own lives.
This is a value judgment
that leads to
discrimination and
dehumanization.
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”.
Kerry Porth, Sex Trade Educator
SAFE Public Education Committee
Brette Little, Model