John schools' try to change attitudes about paid sex

suburb1 · August 30, 2009

Article describing initiative, similar to those in Canada, in which service providers are characterized as victims. Given this is in the US , applies to all aspects including the escort industry

"If you get caught again and you get me, I will guarantee to put you in jail," warned Antoinette Welch, a local prosecutor, in speaking to the men in the class. "I've had men cry to me that they will lose their jobs or their wives, but you're all grown up and you make your own decisions.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/08/27/tennessee.john.school/index.html

Susie · August 30, 2009

we are trying get john howard society who run john school here to revamp it. we want opportunities for men to get diversion, for workers to but it just seems better to me than ruining a guys life with a criminal charge....ya, it sucks to pay $500 but til it's decrimed......

here's what i wrote....

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

bylogger · August 30, 2009

I understand the stand you are taking. It is certainly more informed than the status quo. I even hope that at some point it will be acted upon.

Unfortunately, people want simple answers, simple solutions, that are politically acceptable. So keep working on the sex-workers as professionals side of things. When that becomes understood, the rest will follow.