Why no surveys of sex workers in Canada?

[HaywoodJabloemy]

Much of the media in Canada, and therefore general public, still believe the baseless fabrications and hugely exaggerated nonsense from the prohibitionists telling us that almost all sex workers are victims forced into an inherently harmful business. For example, Heather Mallick of the Toronto Star knows sex work is "soul-destroying", apparently after seeing the invisible "damage to their heart`s core" that "can be seen on the faces and bodies of prostitution`s victims", though she fails to state how many of these faces she assessed.

Yet real surveys in Australia and New Zealand indicate otherwise.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/64277.php

Queensland`s female sex workers have similar levels of job satisfaction, physical health and mental well-being as women in the general population...
... Queensland University of Technology PhD researcher Charrlotte Seib... from the School of Public Health, surveyed 247 female sex workers aged between 18 and 57 years located throughout Queensland.

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/act-helps-health-and-safety-sex-workers-report-says

The reasons people joined and stayed in the sex industry are complex, however money was the main reason.

Fewer than 17 per cent said they are working to support drug or alcohol use, although when broken down by sector street-based sex workers are more likely to report needing to pay for drugs or alcohol (45 per cent)...

Much of the reporting on the numbers of sex workers and underage involvement in prostitution has been exaggerated. There is no link in New Zealand between the sex industry and human trafficking.

I can`t find any similar ones done in Canada.
https://terb.cc/vbulletin/showthread.php?236039-The-Ask-A-Hooker-Thread/page36

... Accurate statistics have never been obtained.
Now perhaps if the workers were free from prosecution then they would come forward to answer academic surveys and then one would be able to gather accurate data on the industry as a whole ...

Surely there could be some way to allow sex workers to anonymously take part in a survey by a university or other non-law enforcement organization, online or through mail? Would it really be that difficult to leave a bunch of questionnaires and postage prepaid envelopes at massage parlours and escort agencies that sex workers could complete and drop in a mailbox if they chose to participate? It might not meet the strictest academic standards for establishing reliable statistics, but it would be better than nothing, and may inform much of the general public about reality instead of the fictional nonsense from prohibitionists and the likes of Heather Mallick.
Maybe it could be done simultaneously in different cities, and hopefully get at least as many responses as the 247 mentioned in the article about the Queensland Australia survey.

 

[Moviefan-2]

Maybe it's just me, but I find Heather Mallick to be a bit of a flake.

I mean, my political perspective is different than the Star's, but other Star columnists -- Thomas Walkom, Rosie DiManno, Chantal Hebert, Rick Salutin, etc. -- do an excellent job presenting their views, and they've done their homework.

Mallick makes wild statements that seem to be mostly for shock value. In the linked column in the OP, she compares prostitution to people raping their offspring.

In another column (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/08/general-election-2010-hung-parliament1), she said:

Conservatives can't stand people, particularly if they're female, or second-generation Canadian, or educated, or principled, or not from Alberta, which is the home of the hard-right belly-bulging middle-aged Tory male.

Jonathan Kay at the National Post once wrote a great piece about Mallick:

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com...letter-to-the-guardian-about-heather-mallick/

All of this to say that actual research is unlikely to influence the views of Heather Mallick.

 

[Rockslinger]

Patricia Pearson did a decent article on SC dancers a few years ago without all the moralizing. I think Heather Mallick should show more concern for hockey and football players whose profession leaves them physically and mentally damaged.

 

[Rockslinger]

Too bad Wendy Babcock (R.I.P.) is no longer with us. She was an excellent spokesperson for the trade. However, she did contribute to the negative sterotype(sp) by claiming she came from an abusive home which is disputed by a close relative.

 

[afterhours]

I think Heather Mallick should show more concern for hockey and football players whose profession leaves them physically and mentally damaged.

So would you rather have a kid who is a hockey player or an SP?

 

[Rockslinger]

So would you rather have a kid who is a hockey player or an SP?

There are many similarities. Careers in both profession are generally short but money is good during those years. Then the applause, the adoring fans, the bright lights, the big bucks, etc. are all gone. I want my kid to be CEO of a major high tech company. Career lasts much longer and less risk of a traumatic head injury.

 

[Buick Mackane]

Surely there could be some way to allow sex workers to anonymously take part in a survey by a university or other non-law enforcement organization, online or through mail? Would it really be that difficult to leave a bunch of questionnaires and postage prepaid envelopes at massage parlours and escort agencies that sex workers could complete and drop in a mailbox if they chose to participate?

You'd be skewing the results if you don't include streetwalkers, independents on backpages, Asian factory incalls etc.

 

[HaywoodJabloemy]

This study resulted from "over 450 interviews conducted with sex workers" and "40 law enforcement officials and public health advocates" in Canada.

http://www.concordia.ca/now/media-relations/news-releases/20110607/dangerous-and-under-the-radar.php

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Risin...+concerns+of+people+working+in...-a0252447222

Unfortunately it seems to be the type of realistic information that most of the media ignores. I'm not saying it would change the minds of the likes of Heather Mallick etc., but if more of the general public had a better understanding of reality, it would make it more difficult for people to believe the nonsense and fiction.

 

[Amber Rosa]

There is some good research/centres out there:

http://users.uniserve.com/~lowman/

http://www.nswp.org/sites/nswp.org/files/1short2.pdf

http://myweb.dal.ca/mgoodyea/researchsexcan.htm

I hope this is helpful!

Amber