Police target sex trade
Patrols aimed at street hookers; legit massage therapists licensed
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Using stepped-up surveillance and enforcement along with implementation of a bylaw designed to separate holistic practitioners from massage parlours, Windsor police and city council hope to better control the city's sex trade.
While claiming that prostitution is not out of control across the city, Windsor Mayor Mike Hurst and police chief Glenn Stannard said Monday night it remains a problem in certain neighbourhoods.
"Based on information from our police services, I would say we have pretty much the same number of working prostitutes on our streets as we've had for the past 20 to 30 years," said Hurst. "But if those individuals confront any of our citizens taking a walk or going about their business, then that is not a good situation and it needs to be dealt with.
"It's also a question of priorities and resources and whether or not our police service is already stretched too thin," said Hurst. "There's also the question of prostitution not being taken that seriously by the criminal justice system. Arrests and convictions generally rate a slap on the wrist and again, it comes back to a question of priorities."
Stepped up patrols along Wyandotte Street East, meanwhile, have forced many prostitutes to ply their trade elsewhere, said Stannard.
"While there are more prostitutes than I'm comfortable with, the key issue now is displacement," said Stannard. "We're seeing it move to other areas and it's become a priority now to people who live and work in those areas.
"It's largely a neighbourhood issue and while a lot of people don't see it as a major problem, it is if it's in your neighbourhood.
In addition to dealing with prostitutes, the city has also focused its attention on massage parlours.
Later this month, a new bylaw designed to separate holistic practitioners from massage parlours takes effect and supporters says it will provide another tool for controlling the illicit massage and sex trade.
In the past, massage parlour workers and owners could claim they were offering legitimate massages and police were generally powerless to do anything unless workers were caught in the act of offering sex.
But now such claims will have to be backed up by a holistic practitioners' licence which is only obtainable after the business adheres to a strict series of licensing conditions.
"There are now 54 massage parlours across the city and this will give police and bylaw enforcement officers another tool to help shut them down," said councillor Eddie Francis, chairman of the city's licensing committee. "It will give them the tool to distinguish between the legitimate practitioners and the rest."
Councillor Bill Marra, chairman of the police services board, said cracking down on prostitution and massage parlours will also help rid the city of its "Sin City" reputation.
From Dave Hall Star Municipal Affairs Reporter
Patrols aimed at street hookers; legit massage therapists licensed
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Using stepped-up surveillance and enforcement along with implementation of a bylaw designed to separate holistic practitioners from massage parlours, Windsor police and city council hope to better control the city's sex trade.
While claiming that prostitution is not out of control across the city, Windsor Mayor Mike Hurst and police chief Glenn Stannard said Monday night it remains a problem in certain neighbourhoods.
"Based on information from our police services, I would say we have pretty much the same number of working prostitutes on our streets as we've had for the past 20 to 30 years," said Hurst. "But if those individuals confront any of our citizens taking a walk or going about their business, then that is not a good situation and it needs to be dealt with.
"It's also a question of priorities and resources and whether or not our police service is already stretched too thin," said Hurst. "There's also the question of prostitution not being taken that seriously by the criminal justice system. Arrests and convictions generally rate a slap on the wrist and again, it comes back to a question of priorities."
Stepped up patrols along Wyandotte Street East, meanwhile, have forced many prostitutes to ply their trade elsewhere, said Stannard.
"While there are more prostitutes than I'm comfortable with, the key issue now is displacement," said Stannard. "We're seeing it move to other areas and it's become a priority now to people who live and work in those areas.
"It's largely a neighbourhood issue and while a lot of people don't see it as a major problem, it is if it's in your neighbourhood.
In addition to dealing with prostitutes, the city has also focused its attention on massage parlours.
Later this month, a new bylaw designed to separate holistic practitioners from massage parlours takes effect and supporters says it will provide another tool for controlling the illicit massage and sex trade.
In the past, massage parlour workers and owners could claim they were offering legitimate massages and police were generally powerless to do anything unless workers were caught in the act of offering sex.
But now such claims will have to be backed up by a holistic practitioners' licence which is only obtainable after the business adheres to a strict series of licensing conditions.
"There are now 54 massage parlours across the city and this will give police and bylaw enforcement officers another tool to help shut them down," said councillor Eddie Francis, chairman of the city's licensing committee. "It will give them the tool to distinguish between the legitimate practitioners and the rest."
Councillor Bill Marra, chairman of the police services board, said cracking down on prostitution and massage parlours will also help rid the city of its "Sin City" reputation.
From Dave Hall Star Municipal Affairs Reporter