Ottawa Report Denies Bias in Naming Accused Prostitutes

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

Ottawa police departed from their standard practice when they released the names of two women charged with prostitution offences earlier this year, but didn’t violate any privacy rules, says a report on the issue.

 

River Councillor Maria McRae to inquire about effectiveness of the Ottawa John School program, which is run by the Salvation Army, and does not release the Johns' names. It has operated for 13 years and only three men who attended were again arrested for soliciting sex.

 

Report by Jake Rupert in the Ottawa Citizen:

 

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Report+refutes+bias+naming+accused+prostitutes/1826600/story.html

[Akhenaton 221]

Always interesting to see people arrested for being honest "Hey Gorgeous I love your bod" "honey it's yours for xx$" "you got it"...

 

But you ATRE encouraged to go and spend it in a bar, so local buisinesses get a more direct benefit and the governement more taxes... <sigh>

 

I wounder what they teach in John school so guys don't solicit sex... hum, hormone threatments ?

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

I wounder what they teach in John school so guys don't solicit sex... hum, hormone threatments ?

 

Looks like it's similar to other John Schools. Some details, posted by the Ottawa Peace and Environment Resource Centre, from "Peace and Environment News", November 1998, by Sharon Boddy:

 

http://www.perc.ca/PEN/1998-11/s-boddy.html

[A***** A***** 510]

It is totally biased! Makes me mad as hell:x Now why is it a religious organization has to get their nose in other peoples business as well? John school what a joke.

 

Fuck makes me wish I could move there and make a difference, not much I can do out here on wet coast:lol:

[Peachka 4334]

What I find ironic about this is that about a month or so ago, there was a sweep in the Merivale\Kirkwood\Caldwell area. I didn't see anything in the news about it and I found out about it in an e-news letter from my city councillor .....Maria McRae! The e-news letter mentioned the names of the two women charged & said the men qualified for John School. Maybe someone complained to Maria as to why the women were named but not the men.

[slurp 7020]

I wounder what they teach in John school so guys don't solicit sex... hum, hormone threatments ?

 

My guess is they teach them to avoid SW and save their pennies to go see SPs or MAs ...... ;-)

[Susie 1472]

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.

[Susie 1472]

My guess is they teach them to avoid SW and save their pennies to go see SPs or MAs ...... ;-)

 

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
  

[VedaSloan 119179]

They also spread malicious lies that undermine sex worker safety (things like by seeing pros you are contributing to the spread of STD's and AIDS).

 

It's fucked up that only the pro goes to jail and the john goes to diversion school. Talk about a double standard.

 

Also, Ottawa had the super awesome (sarcasm) idea to send out Community Health Notices to people seen to be soliciting pros or frequenting a known stroll to let them know that they are encouraging prostitution in a family neighbourhood and again, spreading disease.

 

You can probably find the letter on the police website. I think it was posted previously.

[mod 135639]

They have "Sex worker school" too, it's not just the guys. I know a lady who was offered the chance to go to a 3 day "Hooker Camp" (as they put it) to avoid criminal charges for first time offense. This was a while ago so I don't know if they still offer this in some places but I do know it has been an option for some.

[Susie 1472]

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

[mod 135639]

I looked up "Jane School" and this was a option offered to the ladies arrested for prostitution in Ottawa. ("Jane school" is a three-day program run by the Salvation Army called Sex Trade Education Program, or STEP). So that sounds about right, I am pretty sure the lady who told me about it was out in Alberta or Winnipeg and I don't think it was a Salvation Army sponsored program but I am sure it was pretty much the same thing. It was a option to avoid going to court and chancing the criminal record.

[VedaSloan 119179]

Oops, my bad, I actually KNEW that Jane school existed, I know the women's outreach worker who talks to them about HIV and Hep C prevention. From what I've heard from her, it's very shame-based and is supposed to encourage them to leave the biz.

 

The double standard occurs because more men than women are offered the option of a diversion program.

[slurp 7020]

8 more arrested in Lowertown/Vanier according to the radio this evening. Not sure if 8 total or each.

 

Watch the papers and see what names are listed tomorrow. Radio said only 1 guy qualified for John School.

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

Ottawa Citizen on-line filing, 7pm states 4 men and 5 women arrested; of these, one qualified for John School and 8 charged:

 

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/prostitution+sweep+nets+nine+arrests/1837947/story.html

[YoungStud 468]

Just another reason to stay off the streets and book an independent on-line.

[Susie 1472]

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

[A***** A***** 510]

this is terrible!!!if anyone needs anything let me know....

 

if you are a pooner and have been arrested and need advice lease 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[/QUOte] thanks for all your help susie and all your info

Posted via Mobile Device

[Susie 1472]

no prob!!

 

love susieXXXO

[VedaSloan 119179]

Susie, you are awesome!

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

It's fucked up that only the pro goes to jail and the john goes to diversion school. Talk about a double standard.

 

"In Kitchener’s Ontario Court Tuesday, Justice Sharon Nicklas wondered why the Crown did not want to give a conditional discharge to ... a woman picked up for prostitution in June. A person who successfully completes terms of a conditional discharge escapes a criminal record ... [she] came to court as a first offender with no record. She pleaded guilty to communicating for the purpose of prostitution ...

 

Her lawyer asked for the discharge after saying ... [she] became addicted to crack cocaine ... She was prostituting herself to pay for her habit and needs rehabilitation, her lawyer said. But prosecutor Mary Ellen Cullen said there’s a problem with the sex trade downtown. She opposed a discharge. That’s when the judge pointed out that if ... [she] was a man, she would have had the benefit of a diversion program ...

 

Nicklas gave ... [her] a one-year discharge. She must perform 10 hours of community service, take drug counselling and stay away from King and Cedar streets."

 

Diane Wood's full report in Kitchener's "The Record", 13 Aug 2009:

 

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/584658

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

Belleville police are now also opting for equal treatment of janes and johns, following "through with a commitment made in August 2008 to make public the names of both the alleged prostitute and the ?john.? "

 

This is apparently in contrast to the practices of Kingston and Peterborough, where "police forces said they have not, in the past few years, released the names of johns".

 

Full report by W. Brice McVicar for Belleville's "The Intelligencer", 18 Aug 2009:

 

http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1705280