Winnipeg police sex-trade task force charges 26 men age 18-77

[ThisOneWorks 4707]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-police-sex-trade-task-force-charges-26-men-age-18-77-1.3205790

 

Thats the CBC link to the article but it brings up a few questions:

 

Did they only target Street-Walker pickups? And why would anyone EVERY pickup a street walker?

 

The reason I ask is last time they did a sting, I heard they also hit up EB, looking for "illicit" behaviour.

 

Just curious.

[Meaghan McLeod 179664]

There seems to be a bunch of guys that look to see ladies who are disadvantaged and prey on their vulnerabilities and their low rates. Just look on some of the other sites that brag about seeing ladies for $xx. I've even seen some that take pictures (snatch lights) of them and post online.

 

I would love to see certain ones get caught in these sweeps. Try explaining that one to their wives.

[fresh 8278]

It needs to get off the street.

Hopefully that is where they focus their attention

[Hector17 9215]

"said officers are focusing on "exploiters" like johns and pimps. "We are using the terms exploiters because that's exactly what they are," he said."

 

 

Ouch...I've never really thought of myself as an "exploiter"...more of a "fun lo v er" with another consenting adult??

[Ice4fun 78407]

Well I don't know much about the industry in Winnipeg or about how these particular arrests might seem to the participants in the industry in that area so my comments here should really be taken as my general thoughts about the industry based on my experiences over the year in a few markets across the country.

 

From my perspective it is pretty obvious that the sex industry certainly does have its element of exploiters who look to take advantage of sex workers who find themselves in difficult situations and that this element is more likely to be seen at the street level.

 

Now I am not saying that everyone who works in the industry at the street level is being exploited just that I think the risks in that part of the industry are much greater and the elements of our society that look to take advantage might focus more where they think there is greater vulnerability.

 

If the police is Winnipeg are operating on this type of premises and focusing on eliminating the exploitative elements then I guess this could be a good thing.

 

My concern I guess is that we have often seen people professing to want to "save" sex workers when in reality the steps they take only make life for the sex worker more difficult and risky.

 

You want to do something to remove the exploitative element out of the industry make it legal and apply the same safe work legislation to sex workers that you do to others.

 

I recently saw a tweet from a lady who may need surgery and she commented that their are no medical benefits or EI in this business... There are so many things that could be done but we seem to instead want to only focus on the application of legal repercussion on one or the other parties to this industry. We used to persecute the sex worker and now we want to persecute the client. I think things are changing but we have a very long way to go.

 

Just my Opinion

[cinelli 22184]

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[johnmalkovich 330]

It states in the article:-

 

The focus of this project was very localized and was meant to have an impact on the street-level sex trade," said Sgt. Cam Mackid.

 

To answer your question: yes, they only targeted street-level.

[fortunateone 156618]

"said officers are focusing on "exploiters" like johns and pimps. "We are using the terms exploiters because that's exactly what they are," he said."

 

 

Ouch...I've never really thought of myself as an "exploiter"...more of a "fun lo v er" with another consenting adult??

 

 

 

They just have a new name and anew law to make a new excuse for targeting street workers. The fact they cannot under c36 charge the SW with public solicitation doesn't make much difference, they will just set up the stings to snare the clients, which obviously affects the public nuisance of street work.

 

There is a study done in Vancouver where the VPD focused only on clients, as a way to proceed with a new technique and the end result was pretty detrimental to the SWers, not the clients. LE has always had a tool for targeting clients and SWer, the public solicitation law, and they will continue to use the new laws to target the public display of sex work. Dressing it up as 'exploitative clients' is just a ploy to get public sympathy where none is needed, since NIMBY is what the public wants anyway.

 

Anyway the research in Vancouver determined that it increased danger and made the lives of SWers much more difficult and dangerous when their clients are targeted deliberately. VPD & city of Vancouver, not fully based on that study but it did have influence, says there will be no outright enforcement of any c36 laws outside of the exploitation of say illegal or underage sex workers in order to follow their own policy of harm reduction.

[Zarhan Fastfire 6450]

Let's look at the new reality from an average new john's perspective. By average I mean a guy making, oh let's say 30K or less per year. While he could afford to call an agency now and then, he's new at this and scared of calling anyone advertising on Backpage, the first such online connection he learns about: what he's doing is illegal for HIM but not the lady he wants to call, so she can blackmail him if she comes to his house, or trap him if he goes to hers. From his perspective that is reality. He doesn't know about LYLA or another board. He doesn't know who he can trust or can't trust. Someone on the street he picks up in the dark, at least, doesn't know him. She might still pull a knife on him, take the money and run, be drunk or high, etc., etc. Yes, it's pathetic, but he's hardly an "exploiter" in the situation; he's not the same as a pimp. Now, guys who take pics or videos without consent or compensation?--throw the friggin' book at them.

[Regent 35404]

Let's not cheer on the targeting of street based SWers' clients. People who are street-based are already at the greatest risk of violence and police harassment and are likely to be the most economically in need and marginalized.

 

We're not going to avoid police harassment or decrease stigma of indoor SW by vilifying people who work differently and their clients. Stigma impacts us all, and the negative assumptions and stereotypes about street-based SWers' clients that hobbyists believe are the same negative stereotypes that the general population believes about all SW clients.

[Guest Hon*****r]

Let's look at the new reality from an average new john's perspective. By average I mean a guy making, oh let's say 30K or less per year. While he could afford to call an agency now and then, he's new at this and scared of calling anyone advertising on Backpage, the first such online connection he learns about: what he's doing is illegal for HIM but not the lady he wants to call, so she can blackmail him if she comes to his house, or trap him if he goes to hers. From his perspective that is reality. He doesn't know about LYLA or another board. He doesn't know who he can trust or can't trust. Someone on the street he picks up in the dark, at least, doesn't know him. She might still pull a knife on him, take the money and run, be drunk or high, etc., etc. Yes, it's pathetic, but he's hardly an "exploiter" in the situation; he's not the same as a pimp. Now, guys who take pics or videos without consent or compensation?--throw the friggin' book at them.

 

I only ever met one girl this way and it was very much like that. I was afraid at first, because I met her in a rough neighborhood. Wasn't sure what to expect. I met her one time and her baby's father was there messed up on Pepsi, and she had to convince him not to attack me. I met her when her bf was in jail, and she was working with another for food. I took care of her and her daughter well enough, without asking for compensation, that she actually became my gf, and best friend for awhile. I can say that I helped her get out of the game. The girl she worked with didn't, got kidnapped and almost killed. It's a scary business, for everyone.

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