Most sex workers satisfied with their jobs and donâ??t see themselves as victims, surve

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[url]http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/09/23/most-sex-workers-satisfied-with-their-jobs-and-dont-see-themselves-as-victims-survey-finds/[/url]



Most sex workers in Canada are comfortable in their work, according to a national survey of prostitutes, their partners, clients and managers.

The study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and based on hundreds of interviews in six communities, found that 70% of sex workers are satisfied with their jobs. Eighty-two per cent feel they are appropriately paid and 68% feel they have good job security.

â??They donâ??t see themselves as victims in the sense that theyâ??ve been portrayed in the current [prostitution criminalization] bill,â? said lead researcher Cecilia Benoit. â??Theyâ??re actually a lot like you and I. They just havenâ??t had quite so many advantages in some cases.â?

During debate over the Conservative governmentâ??s new prostitution law, Bill C-36, which seeks to abolish the industry by criminalizing it, the billâ??s supporters have portrayed sex work as intrinsically exploitative.

The Conservatives brought in C-36 after the Supreme Court struck down the old law. It is expected to become law this winter.

The bill is being studied in the Senate, where witnesses have given starkly different views of the profession, with backers of the legislation insisting that sex workers â?? who they claim are often trafficked women and children â?? are victims.

The researchers â?? in Ottawa on Monday and Tuesday to present preliminary findings from the ongoing study â?? say thatâ??s not what most sex workers say.

â??They talk to us about the amount of control they have over their work situation,â? said researcher Mikael Jansson. â??They have a lot more control over the timing of their work, the pace of their work than journalists.â?

Sex workers reported a median annual income of $39,500.

â??They say it gives them independence, given their life situation, and it gives them income,â? said Ms. Benoit.