Susie

i know this group!!! great research!!!! love susieXXXO

it's happening all over the world!! we as canadian sex industry community members should take our chance to reach decrim and self governance while the UN and the world is on our side!

Monday, August 10, 2009 [B]United Nations: Decriminalize drug use[/B] By Llanesca T. Panti, [I]Reporter [/I] With more than 1,000 people becoming infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Asia each day, the United Nations Joint Program on HIV-Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (UNAIDS) has urged governments to decriminalize consensual adult sexual behavior and drug use. In his report titled Hope to Reality: Transforming the Asia-Pacific AIDS response, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé noted that many countries are beginning to change their laws that criminalize consensual adult sexual behavior (including sex work) and drug use, and courts are helping to clarify bad laws. He disclosed that in Indonesia, the Supreme Court ruled that drug users need care, not imprisonment, while Nepal?s highest court has established that transgenders and men who have sex with men have equality under the Constitution. India?s Delhi High Court has read down an archaic law that discriminated against men who have sex with men. ?New Zealand has legalized sex work and reaped the dual benefits of public health and public safety, while Australia has demonstrated that law enforcement and public-health goals can go hand in hand while dealing with drug use,? Sidibé said. ?We can remove punitive laws and policies that block effective responses to AIDS.? According to him, however, real transformation has to be in the hearts and minds of people. ?Courts and parliaments can only create an enabling environment. Societies and communities have to change the social norms that allow stigma and discrimination,? he said. Sidibe cited the case of a pregnant woman in India, who was recently branded on her forehead as being HIV positive by hospital staff during a routine check-up. This inhumane treatment of the woman, according to him, triggered protests by the local community and by human rights activists, which then led the Gujarat government to investigate the matter. The UN official said that it is women who bear the most of the suffering resulting from such bad laws and a discriminatory society, with many women in Asia becoming infected with the deadly virus because their husbands or male partners contracted HIV through drug use or through sex with another man or with a sex worker. To back up his claims, he revealed that being monogamous is the only risk factor for an estimated 90 percent of women living with HIV in India, while 35 percent of adults living with HIV in Asia were women, and most of them were in steady relationships, as of 2008. In the Philippines, majority of the HIV/AIDS cases involve men who have sex with men (MSMs) and transgenders (men who have undergone sex change). As a result, the country posted a record-setting 85 new cases of HIV/AIDS in May 2009 alone?the highest in a month since the Philippines registered its first HIV/AIDS case in 1984. Moreover, the May 2009 figure represented a 143-percent increase compared to the number of infected people in the same month last year. Sibide called on government authorities to invest in evidence-informed HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programs. HIV prevention programs, according to him, must be scaled-up, with political leaders ensuring that existing HIV services are expanded to reach the most vulnerable. These measures include starting needle exchange programs and offering oral substation therapy to drug users (which great strides have been made in Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, India and Vietnam), increasing access to antiretroviral drugs, distributing condoms and offering voluntary HIV counseling and testing services to those at higher risk. Sibide said that while requests to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria for such programs increased substantially in recent years, Asia still needs $7.5 billion by 2010 to reach country targets. Only 10 percent of this needed funding was available in 2007. ?If only we had invested in reaching populations at higher risk and their partners, most of these infections could have been averted?at a cost of less than half a US dollar per person. Therefore, we must invest wisely and equitably, especially now in the midst of an economic crisis,? he added. Sidibé is also seeking an AIDS plus Millennium Development Goal (MDG) approach, in which reducing poverty, increasing education and investment in health must become the foundations for sustainable economic growth in the region. ?Unlike Africa, where the AIDS epidemic can overwhelm development efforts, the Asia and Pacific region can combine development and the AIDS response,? he said. Sibide mentioned a woman from Nepal named Nisha who lived with HIV but came out well after ample treatment. Nisha lost her husband in 2004 when there was no access to treatment but then went on an antiretroviral therapy that made her stay healthy, enabling her to go back to work and look after her three children. ?Her family has come to accept her, and her children go to school, where they are being taught how to protect themselves. Access to treatment has given her an opportunity to fulfill her dreams?this is hope becoming reality,? he said

[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0068cf][URL]http://streetroots.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/vancouvers-male-sex-workers-fight-to-emerge-from-the-shadows/[/URL][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [B]Vancouver?s male sex workers fight to emerge from the shadows[/B] [B]BY STEVE SMYSNUIK, STREET NEWS SERVICE August 5, 2009 · [/B] [URL="http://streetroots.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/sexslavebw.jpg"][COLOR=#0068cf][IMG]http://streetroots.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/sexslavebw.jpg?w=200&h=300[/IMG][/COLOR][/URL]From the July 24, edition of Street Roots. Addicted and high on drugs, Idris Hudson followed the man offering to pay for sex up to his hotel room. Hudson depended on the money he earned hustling, so he had to take his chances with customers. Unbeknownst to him, a group of five or six other men were waiting for him in the hotel room. Hudson?s not sure of the exact number, but he knows they beat him up. They raped him. They tortured him and kicked him out. Hudson didn?t have a home, or any friends, for that matter. He wandered to his temporary shelter?under a tree near the Burrard Street Bridge ? and waited for the drugs to wear off. He cried a lot, too, wondering how he ever got to that point. A lot has changed since that tragic day in September 2007. Hudson exited the sex trade, clean and sober. When we meet, he?s well dressed and sips a fruit smoothie at Big News Coffee on Granville Street. He speaks candidly about his 15 years in the sex trade, which came very close to killing him. ?My life consisted of nothing,? says the 32-year-old. ?I was just wandering around, existing ? barely.? Male sex trade workers face high rates of violence, usually by customers conflicted with their own sexuality. Sue McIntyre?s seminal 2005 study of the male sex trade, ?Under the Radar: The Sexual Exploitation of Young Men,? sheds light on the experiences of 157 male sex workers across B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Her study revealed that more than 80 percent had experienced some form of violence during their time in the trade. Over 90 percent identified their work as ?dangerous,? something Hudson?s experience attests to. According to Hudson, violence often occurs when customers are unsure of themselves or angry about cheating on their spouses. This aggression is then taken out on the escort. ?This is something that?s rarely discussed,? he says. ?It happens to a lot of guys. I would say in the male trade more than the female trade, but it?s not reported. No man is ever going to walk into a police station and say, ?I was raped, I was willingly raped because I was picked up by a bad date.?? Hudson chalks this up to shame, which he feels is near universal in the male sex trade. ?To say that they?re overpowered by somebody, or raped, is not something that most males would dare to talk about,? he says. ?It takes a lot of people down really quickly. You want to die after something like that.? Because so little is known about the male sex trade, people are often unaware of the dangers faced by male sex trade workers. McIntyre says that homophobia and ignorance are inextricably linked to this ? people are often stunned to learn that men work in the sex trade at all. The term ?male prostitute? subverts the image of alpha masculinity that society has endorsed for so long and forces people to reassess their notions of sexuality and gender roles ? something McIntyre says makes most people uncomfortable. Sex work already is an uncomfortable issue for most, but when mixed with society?s homophobic tendencies, not many will address it. This displaces the men even further. [I][B]Tragically Typical[/B][/I] There?s no singular reason why men enter the sex trade, but there certainly are constants. According to McIntyre?s British Columbia findings, 95 per cent of male sex workers in the province have a history of running away. Close to 70 per cent had a history, prior to working the street, of being sexually violated. Nearly three-quarters have witnessed or experienced physical violence in the home while growing up. Over half had involvement in child welfare services. Forty per cent are of Aboriginal heritage. ?Under the Radar? also found that close to three-quarters of those that enter the sex trade are younger than 18 (a much higher percentage than women), making Hudson?s case unfortunately typical. Hudson left his home of Cranbrook at age 15 because the small B.C. town wasn?t accepting of young gay males. He fled with only a backpack and went to Calgary, where he knew he could explore his sexuality without fear. Unable to get into the gay clubs, he would wait outside with kids in the same situation. Older men would pay them for sex. Hudson said it was a logical choice?he was homeless and broke. It seemed romantic too?his first trick was also the first guy he ever kissed. ?And it was easy cash,? he says. ?For an irresponsible teenager, it was amazing.? His boyish facial features, slim figure and olive skin quickly earned Hudson a steady stream of male customers, who eventually became his only lasting relationships toward the end of his 15 years in the trade. Because he had little education and ?virtually no work ethic,? the sex trade became his occupation. He couldn?t fathom selling retail for minimum wage when he would make $200 to $300 per customer, and he?d see maybe three, four or five customers per night. ?Now that I?ve grown, I?ve realized at what cost that comes,? he says. [I][B] Hustle to Survive[/B][/I] Hudson ended up in the Downtown Eastside for about six months, addicted to cocaine, booze and assorted party drugs before he was assaulted. He says by that point, he was on the verge of disappearing into the back alleys when HUSTLE found him. HUSTLE, the first peer support organization in Canada designed specifically to assist males in the sex trade, helped Hudson exit the trade and get off drugs one year later. He exited on his first try because he was motivated, but at least half the men McIntyre interviewed for ?Under the Radar? were in and out of the trade at least once. Hudson himself has known a lot of people who never made it out ? they disappear or they die. Matthew Taylor and Don Presland, both former sex workers, saw the need for more support in the male sex trade, and together they used their knowledge of the street to form HUSTLE as a means to support men who are ready to exit, and teach them the skills necessary to lead a ?regular? life. HUSTLE is on the street three nights a week, offering peer support to the men working in Downtown South, known as Boys Town. Located in the heart of Yaletown, it was the city?s one-time warehouse district and a fair ground for male sex work, but has since been gentrified into the new kingdom of swank apartments and chic lounges?and is no longer too tolerant of prostitution. Taylor says the men are hard to find because most don?t want to be found. A vast majority of male sex workers utilize the Internet to find customers, but there are still a number working the streets. Those numbers can?t be quantified because no comprehensive studies have been done. It?s taken Taylor and his outreach workers about a year to establish relationships and build the trust of this group of men, often very young, who feel they?ve fallen by society?s wayside. ?Traditionally, sex work and the support of sex work has been primarily a female issue,? says Taylor. ?There has to be a conscious shift in society to even understand or even acknowledge the fact that men are involved in sex work.? City council has addressed sex work issues through granting programs, and HUSTLE has received some of that money through the Vancouver Fund, but according to former city councilor Kim Capri, ?There has been no attention from council to the issue of male sex workers.? While Capri says sex work is an ?incredible issue,? council hasn?t been sure how to identify it from a policy perspective. Female sex work hasn?t even been officially raised in council, so of course very little thought ? and indeed, priority ? has been given to the men. ?It would be really hard for me to say why (that is),? said Capri. ?I think that because there is such a predominance of violence towards women who are involved in prostitution, maybe that?s why it?s more on our radar. There are a lot of women who are dying out there, who are being victimized. That?s not to say that?s not the case for men, it?s just not something that I?m as aware of.? Her attitude and knowledge mirrors that of the city she once counciled, and indeed North America at large, where there are virtually no services designed specifically for male sex trade workers. According to Taylor, Canadian sex-worker advocacy groups are using European models of support, which are far more progressive than North American models. On this side of the Atlantic, men don?t get the same airtime. HUSTLE has met and supported a ?good number? of survival sex workers in the downtown area, but Taylor doubts they?ve even touched the majority. But at least their name is out there. At least the outreach phone rings. That?s a major success, considering that most of these men have severe trust issues. Taylor says he can build their trust because they see a man who?s lived what they?re living and has come out the other end, alive and well. ?I?m not giving up? Taylor has seen some positive change on the streets since HUSTLE began in 2007. There?s now a trustworthy group of individuals that the guys can come to?when and if they want to. HUSTLE recently launched a support group titled HUSTLE ?N? FLOW at the Three Bridges Community Health Center every Wednesday. It?s the first of its kind in Vancouver ?a drop-in center designed specifically for the men, to target their needs and begin developing the skills necessary to exit the trade if and when they?re ready. ?There?s been a bit of growth in that the guys and the youth are beginning to feel that they?re not alone, that people care and that they?re not forgotten or cast-offs or add-ons. ?We?re really just trying to challenge some of the myths that are out there,? said Taylor. ?A lot of the male sex trade has just not been discussed. The women?s issues and all of that have certainly been taken a hard look at and males are just up and coming.? Hudson meanwhile is doing well, though he?s hit a few rough patches along the way. He?s relapsed twice since getting sober ? the most recent occasion led to his eviction from an abstinence-based residence. Right now he?s couch surfing, but he has managed to hold down his management job at a popular Vancouver restaurant. He?s sober. He?s not sure what the future will bring, but he?s hopeful. ?I could either give up and throw myself a pity party or I could stay healthy, stay off the streets and hold on to all those things I?ve fought for. I?ve learned some hard lessons, but I?m not giving up."

we are almost completed our project to design occupational health and safety training for the sex industry- trade secrets- funded by vancouver coastal health-government- it is nationally viable as i created a resource list that extends from corner brook to yellow knife!!!lol as soon as it's availible i will share with you all and people can use it for localized orgainizing. also, we have made great head way in vancouver as fae as plice and government are concernned and if anyone would like copies of what we did and how we did it, i would be happy to share that too. just pm me your e-mail. check out stella's web site chezstella.org -look for the XXX guide, very similar to what is being suggested.....

good post angela!!thanks for the info mod!! susieXXXO

another article from the charter; Article 23 everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorible conditions of work and to protection against unemployment. everyone, without discrimination has the right to equal pay for equal work. everyone who works is entitled to just and favorible renumeration ensuring for himself and his family an existance worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

i have been beating them up on face book and rabble!! it's fun!!! i searched things like prostitution, end prostitution, abolish prostitution, end the sex trade, sex industry, crack whore, hate crack whore, hookers.... you should check it out man, there are some crazy haters out there!!! i think that's how the "angry wife" found me....i think i posted this thing i wrote about hate crimes against sex workers on the wall of her group and probably 20 others like it.....fuckin' ho hatin' feminazis!!!

i think to assume a man can leave is a skewed perspective..... women get battered wife syndrome(defending their abusers-unable to leave), hostages get stockholm syndrome(sympathizing with the hostage takers) women are not the only ones who feel and react....symptoms of the above are well documented..... when i say blame men i am refering to discussions regarding abuse, sex work, family maintenance...etc- we are always coming from the women's side and men are always assumed abusers, rapists, dead beat dads,etc. we as a society do blame men for everything.... talking about an abusive situation like the one i described as a domination "freebie" is ridiculous. is abusing a woman a freebie at domination for her?c'mon.i am very experienced and have many dom clients so i feel i can make the distinction thanks. assuming an abused man is disabled or incapable of making a living assumes he was living off her finacially and deserved what he got....can't you see how fucked up your statement is? if you are in a relationship and it's dissolving and all during the relationship birth control has been used, "stickining it in" as you put it has a certain expectation of safety attached to it....as if a woman has never become pregnant to trap or keep a man...... as far as seeing through the bullshit, i think i need to clean my wind shield...try to take everything you have said about men and apply it to women...... is it the abused wife's fault for being abused because she didn't leave? if a woman is told a man has a vasectomy and has sex becoming pregnant is it her fault?cause she let him "stick it in"?what if they use condoms but he puts a hole in it or intentionall rips it?....she let him "stick it in"...is it her fault?" as far as the family affected in my origional post, you are right, we don't know the whole story. that said, it has opened an important discussion about abuse of men and ways women conduct themselves.... try to be open anita....men are human beings who feel, are vulnerable, get taken advantage of and are victimized. part of the problem is how we as a society assume men are strong, assume men are invulnerable and assume they don't need help or support

i don't honestly know....the wife husband and family have been tested though and it came back negative.....you are right we are making alot of assumptions....for me i don't find these assumptions outside of the realm of reason....i've seen women do some crazy shit!!!lol

throughout my life an career i have known men from all walks of life. Men who fought against rommel in north africa....young men fearful facing their first time.... i have also known men who are trauma and abuse survivors. to begin with we always cry out "save the women and children" but at what point is a child magically transformed into a man and no longer in need of support? at what point do they change from child in need of protection into a man who we all blame for everything? i remember a friend of mine who was a slight man, spending days on my couch because he was afraid to go home.his girlfriend was a big girl and used to terrorize him. i remember one instance when we went to pick him up for band practice and she went crazy!!!she put on a pair f army boots and started kicking him...in front of us!clearly she was doing worse when we weren't there. another man whose wife denied him sex for 17 years. he was shaking and began to cry when i took my clothes off. we lay on the bed and held each other and he wept while he told me his story. he was so devastated he couldn't take his clothes off....a shell of the man he was... another , manipulated by a woman he believed was on birth control into having sex which resulted in pregnancy. being a man of honor he did the right thing and married her. she quickly became controling and abusive both physically and emotionally. he was a big man and so who would believe he was abused? she made false abuse accusations, embezelled money from his mother, lied about him to his children saying he was a drug addict so much so one of his daughters began voluteering in vancouver's downtown east side in an effort to find and save her father, and defaming his character so far and wide he eventually lost his business, became homeless and ended up in jail. once in prison she made false accusations of threatening letters which complicated his time in jail by casting him as a violent offender, less privelges and freedom inside. as sex workers we see men at their most vulnerable and over my 23 years in the industry i feel i have developed a heightened awareness of mens emotions in particular when they are feeling sad or vulnerable. this is an enormous power to hold over men and there are those workers/women who exploit this power. ethical people comfort those in need, criminals exploit them. the man in this case was vulnerable. i another letter from his wife she described the situation to me.his business was failing, he was worried about providing for his family and was suffering from a physical symptom of stress in the form of ED. he was vulnerable and the worker sensed it. she sensed it and moved in for the kill.she did it consciously, with malice and intent to cause harm. it's an assault. if a woman gets "wet" durng a sexual assault - is it no lnger a sexual assault? whether a man gets "hard" or not should not be a determining factor as to assault....imho....but conditions surrounding the case could be used to deterine specific intent to cause harm and thus assault. what say you all? love susie ps. how could he consent, he wasn't given all the facts- in order to form free and informed cosent a person must be given all facts and information related to the decision to consent, she never said " i am a crazy woman who will extort you". one can not consent under duress and with out all info related to decisions.

http://www.libbydavies.ca/blog/2009/05/21/record-it-s-decriminalization-not-legalization-sex-trade For the Record?.It?s Decriminalization not Legalization - of the sex trade. May 21, 2009 Blog entry Every now and again I get an email telling me I support legalization of prostitution and brothels, and some media articles have repeated this misrepresentation of my position. I think it?s important to clear up the misrepresentation as I have never advocated or supported legalization of prostitution. Nor do I support red light zones, or commercial enterprises, state licensing, and the measures of a legalized regime. I do support reducing and eliminating violence, harm, and risk, and support labour rights, health and safety rights, and the human rights of sex workers I have been working with organizations, individuals, and all levels of government on this issue for over a decade. I?ve also written extensively over the years on this issue. In summary, here?s what I?ve said, For the Record: December, 2001 - Statement in the House of Commons Mr. Speaker, the number of women missing from the downtown east side is a tragedy. Earlier this month the joint police task force released the names of 18 more women who are missing, bringing the number to 45 women. Many of them were involved in the sex trade and are at risk to the most awful violence and death. I believe all levels of government must co-operate with all possible resources to find out what has happened to these women and to prevent more deaths and harm from taking place. SFU criminologist, John Lowman has said repeatedly that women will continue to disappear and be killed unless Canada's prostitution laws are changed. I implore the Minister of Justice to pay attention. These women are not pieces of garbage that can be disposed of. They are human beings with every right to dignity, safety and hope for the future. They demand our attention. February 2002 ? Letter to Federal Minister of Justice Mr. Minister, I believe the status quo is completely unacceptable given the enormity of the situation in Vancouver. The seriousness of this situation calls for leadership and action. I am therefore urging you to begin an immediate review of federal laws pertaining to soliciting that puts many of these women at risk on the street. It is vital to improve their safety in the community. October 2002- The Hill Times, Time to debate the impact of Canada's hypocritical laws relating to the sex trade The missing women and many more who are still working the streets today are not only victims of their own tragic individual circumstances, but they also fall victim to the failure of public policy. The criminalization of drug users and sex workers and their resulting marginalized status places them at greater and greater risk. The law not only failed them, it aided and abetted their demise. Federal laws pertaining to prostitution force women on the street into dangerous and illegal activities. February, 2003- Libby gets her motion passed for a Parliamentary review of solicitation laws That the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights be ordered to review the solicitation laws in order to improve the safety of sex-trade workers and communities overall, and to recommend changes that will reduce the exploitation of and violence against sex-trade workers. February, 2004 ? Libby?s Op-Ed, Solicitation Laws put Sex Trade Workers at Risk ? It?s Time for Action! The exploitation, murder and violence against sex trade workers in Canada is increasing at an alarming rate, but the laws dealing with prostitution remain unchanged and governments remain unwilling to realistically deal with this growing public safety issue that affects some of the most vulnerable people in our society. For too long law enforcement agencies have relied on the criminal code as the primary means to contain prostitution. It has been a failure, both from the perspective of assisting and protecting women in the sex trade as well as in mitigating the impacts of street prostitution on local communities. Urgent action to address this situation is needed on several fronts: 1)Law enforcement agencies with the support of the Minister of Justice should immediately halt enforcement of Section 213 (the communicating law) of the Criminal Code. A moratorium would help improve the relationship between women on the street and the police, and improve safety. 2)The parliamentary committee must bring in recommendations for law reform that focuses on reducing harm and exploitation. This should include decriminalization as an option. The ongoing criminalization of these women has been a human disaster and we must have the courage to change these laws. 3)Immediate help is needed to provide liveable income support and training and decent housing that is safe and affordable. The improvement of front line safety and exit supports that barely exist today, must be made a priority. The links between deepening poverty and the sex trade are inescapable. Disastrous public policy decisions and cut backs at a provincial level are putting more women at risk every day. Increased criminalization for prostitution does nothing to address the reasons why women have become involved in the sex trade in the first place. Through the provision of adequate and affordable housing, social assistance and minimum wage rates that reflect the real cost of living and increased education and training services, many sex workers would no longer see prostitution as their only viable alternative for survival. At this time we must consider the best way society can reduce violence against sex workers and protect the safety of local communities. October,2004 - Statement in the House of Commons Further to my letter of September 22nd, I again implore Minister Cotler to take urgent action and work with law enforcement agencies to place a moratorium on enforcement of the communicating laws under the Criminal Code. The current criminalization of sex trade workers under these sections of the Code discourages or prevents women from contacting the police when their safety is in jeopardy. As well, I continue to call on the Mayor, as Chair of the Vancouver Police Board, to conduct an inquiry into police investigation of the missing women case to determine what happened. Violence against women, particularly of Aboriginal women, has been highlighted this week by Amnesty International in a report titled Stolen Sisters: A Human Rights Response to Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada. I support the recommendations in this report urge action to address the ongoing social and economic marginalization of indigenous women and to ensure the police and justice systems adequately protect these women. March 2006 - Libby?s Op-Ed Decriminalization is needed to protect women There is no other group in our society as stigmatized, criminalized and misrepresented as often as women involved in prostitution. Everyone has an opinion, but it rarely reflects the harsh reality faced by sex workers who encounter violence, poverty, discrimination and isolation. Prostitution is legal in Canada, and consensual sex between two adults for money is not itself an offence. However, under the Criminal Code, most activities related to prostitution are illegal, including communicating, keeping a common bawdy house and living off the avails of prostitution. While much of the public debate has focused on street prostitution and 90 per cent of police enforcement is directed at arresting men and women for communicating in public for the purpose of prostitution, studies show that approximately 80 per cent or more of sex work is off the street. Sex workers are fearful to report violence, assault and coercion, because of the illegal environment they operate in, and the retaliation and criminalization they face from law enforcement. We need a comprehensive strategy that focuses law enforcement on eliminating the harms and violence in sex work, while providing real choices to women, based on human rights, dignity and opportunities for quality of life. This broad approach is not a simplistic "legalization" regime; rather, it's a realistic effort to repeal harmful laws in order to improve the health and safety of sex workers and reduce the violence they experience. December, 2006 Libby?s statement on the Justice Sub-Committee on Solicitation Laws. The Subcommittee began its work on October 2, 2003 as a result of my motion unanimously adopted in parliament on February 9, 2003 [1], to review prostitution laws to improve the safety of sex trade workers and the community in general and to make recommendations to reduce the exploitation and violence against sex workers. The Subcommittee held both public and in-camera meetings in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg from Jan 31 to May 30, 2005. We heard from almost 100 witness, including residents, academics, private citizens, members of the judiciary, police officers, sex workers and community organizations. The Subcommittee also met informally with well over 100 sex workers and heard directly about their life experiences, the problems they face and solutions recommended. The Sub-Committee?s final report has now been tabled in the House of Commons. Context ? Prostitution is legal in Canada Consensual sex between two adults for money is not in itself an offence. However, under the criminal code, most activities related to prostitution are illegal. Section 213 of the Criminal Code makes communicating for the purposes of prostitution, keeping a common bawdy house and living off the avails of prostitution, illegal. ? Current legislative framework is inadequate Almost all witnesses agreed that the status quo is not protecting sex workers or local communities. These views support the 20 year old Fraser Report which argued that it was ?the contradictory and often self-defeating nature of the Criminal Code that was at the root of the high levels of street prostitution in Canada.? ? The Communicating Law (Code 213) displaces the problem When sex workers are displaced to isolated areas, usually the result of complaints, John sweeps etc. they face greater risks for harm, even death, and become easier targets for predators. ? Only 5% to 20% of all prostitution is street related Although 90%of enforcement is directed to the communication law related to street prostitution, studies overwhelmingly show that street prostitution makes up somewhere between 5% and 20% of all forms prostitution in Canada. Most information and statistics on prostitution is on street prostitution. ? Prostitutes are fearful to report violence, assault and coercion Because of the illegal environment they operate in, women and men working as prostitutes are reluctant to report crimes committed against them, are subject to police harassment and racial profiling. Increased policing has led to moving the trade further underground. ? There are various forms of prostitution Prostitution can range from abhorrent acts of debt bondage, to the ?survival? sex trade, to consenting adult activities. It includes street prostitution, escort and call-girl services, message parlours, private apartments, clubs, bars, hotels etc. ? Not all prostitutes consider themselves victims Perhaps the most difficult idea to understand is that some women are working in prostitution by choice. We heard consistent testimony from sex workers across the country that many women work independently, work for the advantages of the trade (schedule, wages) and develop strong relationships with their clients. Conclusions from the Subcommittee ? The status quo is unacceptable ? Any strategy must encompass: prevention, education, harm reduction and treatment, and must consider the underlying factors of poverty, social isolation, inequality, poor housing and under/un-employment. ? Zero tolerance when it comes to the sexual exploitation of children and youth (under 18 years of age) ? The State should protect persons practicing prostitution from violence and exploitation. Recommendations from Libby Davies ? There is near unanimous agreement from all the witnesses heard from, that the current status and regime of law enforcement, pertaining to prostitution is unworkable, contradictory and unacceptable. It has created an environment of marginalization and violence, with negative impacts both on sex workers, and affected local communities. The current regime of law enforcement, particularly the communicating law, is harmful and further endangers sex workers. ? Any changes for liberalization in the law must focus on adult activities. There is unanimous agreement that there should be no tolerance for the sexual exploitation of minors as defined by law (under 18 years of age), nor should we allow the criminalization of minors. ? We must retain laws against trafficking, as against someone's will, while ensuring that trafficked victims are provided safety, status, and help. ? We must recognize that sex work involves many different forms, from debt bondage, to survival sex work, to consenting choices being made. ? Sexual activities, whether or not payment is involved, between consenting adults that does not harm others, should not be prohibited by the State. ? The key principle and issue at hand, is to distinguish between what is consenting between adults, and what is not. The current laws pertaining to prostitution cannot do this and thus impose a regime that, in and of itself, is harmful to those involved in sex work. Law enforcement should be focussed against fraud, coercion, violence, child sexual abuse, rape, and sexual assault, whether or not in the context of prostitution. ? Prostitutes are fearful to report violence, assault and coercion because of their illegal status. Their poor relationship with law enforcement authorities, contributes to the danger they face. Better training of law enforcement agencies is needed. ? The federal Government must come to terms with the contradictions and impossibility of the status-quo, and engage in a process of law reform that will lead to the decriminalization of laws pertaining to prostitution, thus allowing criminal sanctions to be focussed on harmful situations. This process should involve further research and involve sex workers and their advocates, provincial and municipal representatives, as well as other stakeholders, such as academic experts and law enforcement officials. ? Concrete efforts must be made immediately, to improve the safety of sex workers and assist them to exit the sex trade, if they are not there by choice, by providing significant resources for income support, education and training, poverty alleviation, and treatment for addictions. January 2007- Rabble.ca, Sex Workers Require Better Protection by Libby Davies The tragedy of the missing women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside will generate enormous media attention as the trial gets underway. As the Member of Parliament representing Vancouver East (including the Downtown Eastside), I want to express my support and sympathy to the families and friends of the missing women who continue to grieve and be exposed to the violent and horrifying experience of what happened to these women. The tragedy of this situation is far reaching. For many in the Downtown Eastside and beyond there is a sense of loss and grief as people face the enormity of what has taken place. It raises many troubling questions about our society and about why these women were so at risk and vulnerable to violence, exploitation and death, and why so many sex workers continue to be at risk today. The disappearance of more than 60 women from the Downtown Eastside and hundreds more from across the country, also raises deeply disturbing questions about Canada's justice system and how it failed. Despite the recent media attention to Vancouver's missing women, no significant changes have been made at any level of government to protect sex workers, who remain at risk. I will continue to call for law reform, immediate support for exit strategies, and the need for a public inquiry, to ensure that necessary changes are made at all levels of government, to best protect the rights and safety of sex workers and affected communities. Current laws around prostitution make street level sex workers vulnerable to selective law enforcement as well as exploitation and violence. Survival sex workers are often poor and drug dependent, and are reluctant to seek protection under the law. Cuts in social programs and spending, together with increasing poverty, particularly over the past decade, have forced more women into survival sex trades. The Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Human Rights recently completed its report on prostitution laws, The Challenge of Change: a Study of Canada's Criminal Prostitution Laws. The Committee began its work October 2, 2003 as a result of my motion unanimously adopted in Parliament to review prostitution laws to improve the safety of sex trade workers and the community in general, and to make recommendations to reduce the exploitation and violence against sex trade workers. The report outlines the failure of the criminal code to protect sex workers and local communities. When sex workers are displaced to isolated areas as a result of the communicating law, they face greater risk for harm and death and become easier targets for predators. There was near unanimous agreement from witnesses heard at the committee that the current status and regime of law enforcement pertaining to prostitution is unworkable, contradictory and unacceptable. It has created an environment of marginalization and violence, with negative impacts on both sex workers and affected local communities. Sex workers are fearful to report violence, assault and coercion because of their illegal status. Their poor relationship with law enforcement authorities, contributes to the danger they face. Better training of law enforcement agencies is needed. I believe the federal government must come to terms with the contradictions and impossibility of the status quo, and engage in a process of law reform that will lead to the decriminalization of laws pertaining to prostitution and focus criminal sanctions on harmful situations. It is also critical for all levels of government to immediately improve the safety of sex workers and assist them to exit the sex trade if they are not there by choice, by providing significant resources for poverty alleviation and income support, education and training, and treatment for addictions. In February 2002, I called on the Mayor of Vancouver, as Chair of the Vancouver Police Board, to support an inquiry into the police investigation of the missing women to determine what happened. This public inquiry still needs to happen. February, 2007 - Libby?s statement in the House of Commons Mr. Speaker, every Valentine?s Day for the last 16 years, hundreds of people gather in the heart of Vancouver?s Downtown Eastside, to join in the annual Women?s Memorial March. Women from the community, and especially Aboriginal women, sisters and brothers, mothers, daughters and sons, march in memory of the hundreds of women who die each year from violence. This year is particularly sad and difficult for the families and friends of the women whose murders are before the courts, and who daily, are re-living those tragic events. The Highway of tears, in Northern BC, is further evidence of the appalling situation facing Aboriginal women. Members of the federal NDP caucus stand in solidarity with the family, friends and activists who are speaking out on this issue. We demand that all levels of government commit to end the cycle of violence against women, to improve the safety of women in the sex trade, and to provide desperately needed housing and income support. Too many women have suffered, and gone missing, across Canada. It is time to act. ...- There is substantial difference between decriminalization and legalization. Legalization implies a state run licensing system, which I do not support, whereas decriminalization removes those sections of the criminal code pertaining to adult consensual activity and focuses law enforcement on situations where there is exploitation, coercion, and violence, just as we would with any other activity. The Canadian news paper Xtra, published one of the more straightforward articles about decriminalization that I?ve read, explaining that legalizing sex work means instituting regulations that treat prostitution as a vice that needs to be contained and controlled, as opposed to decriminalization which treats it like work. Using New Zealand and Australia as examples, the article goes on to explain that under decriminalization sex workers are allowed all the labour-related rights and freedoms as any other worker. I have supported the idea of a safe house, run as a co-operative by sex workers for their own safety and control. I have also always advocated for the need to have resources, strategies and support for sex workers who want to exit the sex trade. Clearly the survival sex trade often involves women who are impoverished and suffering from trauma and addictions. I will continue to work on this issue to make sure there are changes to address the need to protect the dignity, human rights and safety of women.

because it had been mentioned before that an angry wife was posting sex worker hatred in edmonton i thought people might find it interesting. no names were given, no confidentiality breached....so what's the problem? i my mind forums for sex industry ARE "keeping it between us".

dude...WTF? i am a 23 year veteran cock sucker....you think i wrote this...and flashed my cleavage....c'mon......lol what about him experiencing some vulnerability as a result of ED? it seemed to me the former sex worker took advantge of hiss emotional state and the tried to extort him....maybe not an industry association solvable thing but at least we could defend legit workers in these cases.....maybe by saying legit workers don't do this kind of thing, she is a criminal not a sex worker.... the problem is episodes like this damage overall perceptions of our industry and no matter what we think this woman's campaign against sex work will affect us all....know what i mean?

it came to me as a letter...i get all kinds of hate mail because of the advocacy work i do...and people complaining about street workers, religious nuts....by mail by phone....i just heard this woman was posting on ..... in edmonton... and stuff so when the message came i knew who she was and thought i would post it ... it scares me that she wants to hurt the ex-worker..... i have been attacking people who promote hatred of sex workers on facebook so that must be how she found me.... using condoms is all the more important in this context, wife seems angriest about possible exposure to disease.....at least if you use a condom and are caught you can say "i never put you at risk, i used a condom".... imho

cameto me on facebook; unacceptable..... a young women working for us ,my husband is 20 yr her senior found out that my husband was suffering from some sexual disfunction,he was having a problem acheiving erction.after telling himthat she was a prostitue and had helped other men with this problem they proceed to attempt to have sex in the back of a dirty carpet shop..didn't even take of their close,he just bent her over his desk like she was a dog..she road bare back..any after telling her that he was devistated at what he had done and had tell his wife (he was sure i would leave him) she proceed to blackmail him for several month's threating to tell me. He sugested we go marriage counselin..he thought it would be easier to tell me there.We left on a short holiday and while we were away this slut called my young daughter at work and told her that she had fucked her daddy 5 time's without protection and that she had HIV and he had probaly given it to her mother and that i had probably infected my little grandchildren...Needless to say everything came out in the open,we have had all the test's and are clean.My daughter is still dealing with the uggliness. I am not say'ing that my husband is exempt from any blame or me either for that matter i wasn't there for him. Our marriage is now better than it ever was (SO THAT IS AWSOME).But this little hooker still live's in our community and anoucing she has aids and is willing to have sex partner's without using protection is scary for everyone involed.My husband could have unkowingly contactrd a deadly disease and passed it to me.I think that a prostitue should be responsible to make sure that protection is used and if the condom dosn't fit then she should be saying sorry no sex then...My heart is still broken and i hate this girl so much that it's not healthy i would love to see her hurt like me..she is now in a relationship with some guy. Prostitues have their place i guess but not with married men. thank you from me-susan davis to angry wife.... Today at 8:03am this is terrible!!!!and one of the reasons we need an industry association so badly!!!workers like this ruin it for all of us!!! that said, this sounds like sexual assault and balckmail. if a vulnerable woman had been exploited and cohersed into having unprotected sex in an emotional state which clouded her ability to freely consent and then was blackmailed, the assailant would be in jail!!! this worker is a criminal and needs to face justice. i am so sorry this happened! when you have been the victim of a crime you experience trauma. the rage you feel is normal and a symptom of trauma. the following is some information about post traumatic stress disorder. not listed below is your symptom but i have seen it described as emotional imbalance in which a trauma survivor feels nothing when they should ( like- i didn't cry when my grama died)but are over whelmed whelmed with feeling when they shouldn't be(i cry at phone commercials). it also plays out as extreme emotion or as i call it, explosive rage disorder.i cry in public when triggered and sometimes expode with anger at people around me sometimes even violently. the symptoms will get better with time so don't despair. google PTSD and get to know symptoms so you can recognize it when it happens to you. for me knowing my symptoms was key to me beginning to recover. also, i am an extreme case and have multiple traumas and survivor guilt so you probale will not experience it as severely. Triggers Triggers are things that cause physical, mental or emotional changes within a trauma survivor such as certain smell, sound, place, or person. Generally symptoms and feelings become more intense and survivors may avoid thinking and talking about trauma-related topics because the feelings associated with the trauma are often overwhelming. They may use alcohol and substance abuse as a way to avoid and numb feelings and thoughts related to the trauma. Survivors may also engage in self-mutilation and other forms of self-harm. When the intensity of these feelings has passed identify any particular smells, touch, place, and/or sound that may have set off the intense feelings and reminders of the crime. Getting a sense of triggers can help a survivor avoid situations where they may encounter them. Then ask, what do you say to yourself? A survivor’s understanding of their reactions to triggers can empower them to change those reactions, see themselves differently or to understand why those feelings emerge. Coping Mechanisms in PTSD Coping mechanisms can also be described as Survival Strategies. These strategies have been utilized by survivors in the past, or they are using them at present to help numb the pain of the abuse. They are also used to control feelings, which may threaten to overwhelm survivors. Survivors may have experienced or are presently experiencing problems associated with drugs, alcohol, food/eating, and/or self-injury. • Recent studies have shown a relationship between the frequency of drug use and a history of abuse. • A similar relationship has been noted with the development of alcoholism and the impact of abuse. • Eating Disorders are common to female survivors. They may develop anorexia nervosa or bulimia. For a survivor, compulsive control of food intake can be a way of exerting control over her body, control that was denied when she was being abused. • Some survivors injure themselves, hurting their bodies by burning, slashing or cutting. The reasons for this behavior vary. It can be a way of relieving unbearable anxiety, triggered by memories of the abuse. It can also develop as a way of dealing with and confronting strong, painful emotions, "using new pain to hide old pain". • Social Isolation and withdrawal is also common. Survivors report feeling uncomfortable and unsafe around others. They also report feeling uncomfortable talking about themselves and their experiences.

no prob!! love susieXXXO

this is terrible!!!if anyone needs anything let me know.... if you are a pooner and have been arrested and need advice please contact me via pm or phone 604-671-2345 if you are worker and have been arrested or need advice contact me via pm or phone...same as above. keep your chins up! love susieXXXO

ya, i remember something like that too....maybe it was jane school?... diversion is better than a criminal record either way but it always seems to be shame based.....repent!!lol love susie

tanxs babe! definitely a typo....dang i just uploaded it to coop web site... http://www.wccsip.ca/caec.html i will e-mail my aunt and ask her to fix it.... i am putting together a membership package and we will have a nationally viable occupational health and safety training- trade secrets ready in the fall. 700 people reviewed and contributed to the terms of reference and BCCEC members have formalized what will be known for now as the Canadian Adult Entertainment Commission or CAEC. It has been acknowledged these “Temporary/ Draft Terms of Reference” are an emergency measure intended to support workers and businesses who are under scrutiny and that and a far more detailed description of governance and conflict resolution will be necessary to attain our goal of self governance for the sex industry. love susieXXXO

they shame the shit out of them, it's fucked...... we tried to revise it in vancouver, but they make alot of money, $500 perguy i believe.... here's what i wrote...remember Salvation army australia apologized to sex workers for their anti trafficking campaign and all the harm it caused...maybe in ottawa you could have more luck, we had to deal with john howard, never returned our e-mails or calls...not lowering themselves to speak to a prostitute.....:evil: JOHN SCHOOL Background John School as it is currently known is a diversion program for sex consumers who have violated the communication provisions of the criminal code of Canada related to prostitution. While diversion is preferable to the consumers of sex bearing the shame of a criminal record, the program as it stands does not give consumers any useful information on how to engage in the sex industry( purchase sex) within the boundaries of the law and within the reasonable boundaries already established by the community at large. Further, information related to safe sex practices, other health issues, legal rights are also not discussed. Instead, ?offenders? are shamed with a barrage of the impacts of violence on sex workers and the reasons why people are forced into the survival sex trade. The mystery around the sex industry and lack of information for those wishing to purchase services contributes the numbers of consumers acquiring sexual services at street level. The BC Coalition of Experiential Communities are currently designing a set of occupational health and safety guidelines/ minimum labor standards to stabilize our industry. Included in the project will be a tool kit for sex industry consumers to engage in purchasing sexual services in an ethical way that respects age restrictions (no youth), safe sex practices, respect for the workers and explains ways to minimize harm(mess, traffic) to communities impacted by the street level sex industry. A john school program which took a harm reduction approach to these issues could greatly impact the issues surrounding the sex consumer?s lack of knowledge on how their activities affect the entire community and greatly reduce the numbers of consumers accessing sexual services on the street. In stead of telling them where they shouldn?t be, tell them where they can be. Goals To re examine the curricula and determine where there may be opportunities for addition or revision. To engage all stakeholders in the design of the program including business owners, residents, police, sex workers, sex consumers and sex worker support agencies. To ensure the sex workers experience is honored and valued and that sex workers who deliver the john school training are compensated and supported. To ensure sex consumers are given the tools to make safe, ethical decisions when purchasing sexual services which respect their needs, protects them from further criminal involvement, increases their awareness about the impacts of the sex industry on communities(condom mess etc) To ensure that diverse sex worker experiences( male, female, trans) and that all aspects of the industry (exotic dance, male hustlers, adult film, street level, escort, massage, etc.) are represented in the presentation and that workers from all levels have the opportunity to deliver the curricula. Expected Outcomes Decreased numbers of sex consumers ?cruising? in communities, less traffic Increased safety for residents of communities impacted by the street level sex industry. Decrease in community complaints related to the sex industry( condoms, public sex) Decreased recidivism of sex consumers- they will know how to engage within the boundaries of the law. During the Living in Community Project, residents and business owners in communities impacted by the sex trade indicated that their biggest concerns were; Residual mess(condoms, etc) Public sex acts Unwanted approaches of consumers to women who are not sex workers Violence- everyone agrees the level of violence endured by street level sex workers is unacceptable. Being faced with sex workers out with their children in the community. Through communication with sex consumers, it?s our belief that all of these issues would be impacted from one degree to another. By giving the consumer the information they need to engage the sex industry in a way that respects everyone in the community, these points of conflict between sex workers and communities could be eased. Next Steps Hire a project coordinator Review all current curricula Hold a series of focus groups with all stake holders to identify information for the presentation Finalize the design of the presentation and an information package for consumers to take away Implement the new program

sooooo fucked!!!!and in contradiction with all harm reduction principles! you would think in ottawa at least they would take the most current ethical standards for harm reduction!the tri council policy statement is clear.....CONFIDENIALITY!!!!!especially for workers dang it!!!! rrrrrr....... susie in vancouver www.wccsip.ca this mostly about research but we are advocating for the spirit of these policies and principles to be applied to all systems who work with/ come into contact with sex industry workers ie-criminal justice, support services, municiple licensing, provincila inspectors, border services, government- all levels all departments- i know sounds big and it is....system wide reform....if not now...when....if not us....who..... Ethical Concerns There are many sources to gather information on research ethics. A national set of guidelines that all Canadian universities must abide by is the Tri Council Policy Statement http://www.pre.ethics.gc.ca/english/index.cfm . Most research disciplines also have their own codes of ethics. Most share these basic principles: Ethical research should be conducted in a way that ensures all parties arefree from harm and researchers are concerned with the safety of research participants that may experience heightened risks; Participants have the right to provide their free and informed consent at theonset of the relationship and researchers have an obligation to obtain this consent; Researchers must take steps to ensure that the privacy and confidentiality of participants is respected; Parties entering into research partnerships can anticipate and build in supports for participants. (For example, if a researcher is inquiring about life histories that can be traumatic for some, the community organization and researcher can ensure that there exist post interview debriefing supports for participants). Researchers need to approach their research from a place of indifference in regards to the outcome and not engage in research that constitutes a clear conflict of interest. Additional research principles speak to the researchers’: Respect for participant autonomy and decision making; Obligation to increase the benefits to research participants and working to reduce harms associated with participation; Commitment to justice, which required fair participant selection and equal distribution of the benefits and burdens of research across participant samples. Honorarium Giving sex industry workers an honorarium when engaging us ensures limited harm from the encounter. Difficult discussions about the oppression we’ve endured can often trigger an emotional reaction. Paying an honoraria ensures a participant does not have to engage in high risk activities to try to find money for their medication/ alternative to self harm of choice. Also, we are a hand to mouth culture and rarely have time to be away from work. Paying us a livable wage ($20/hr) respects our knowledge, experience, and time. Confidentiality Because of our criminalization confidentiality is absolutely paramount. Working with the systems that many in our community view as the enemy can cause a person to be outcast or worse. They could be viewed as a rat or collaborator and treated as such. Ensuring confidentiality of participants will prevent the loss of any social capitol or violence against them.

thanks for your comments! i think you are right i will edit approproiately. love susieXXXO