Session Abstracts

Session Abstracts

This workshop, scheduled in two parts, is presented by Anita Tijerina Revilla, PhD and Surgeon. The session will develop a working analysis of systems of oppression, and provide an opportunity for participants to explore the ways that these systems impact us as individuals and groups.  Understanding the ways these systems work together to keep individuals and groups divided can help us practice accountability socially and while working and organizing.  We will focus specifically on the relationship between sex worker status and race, class and gender not only personally, but as an institutionalized system with endemic effects. For all those attending this session, remember that this is difficult work.  We are all subject to both privileges and oppressions, and discussion of them can be emotionally triggering.  Please come with an open heart and the desire to create change and progress together.

With these concerns in mind, we offer introductory and post-conference roundtables. These roundtables will specifically focus on questions such as: What does an academic ally look like? How can we best engage in an activist movement respectfully, thoughtfully, and with an eye toward social change? How has our research impacted policies at local, state, or national levels? How can we best engage in social justice oriented research? How can we help activist movements strategize and move forward?

The goals of this workshop are to:

1.      Discuss what it means to be an academic ally for a rights movement

2.      Educate each other on the use of research as a tool for social justice

3.      Name concrete ways our research can assist the sex workers’ rights movement

We strongly encourage all academic presenters to attend this workshop and to bring your questions, concerns, and ideas to the table.  We understand that some of us have a long history of activism and others are new to it. This roundtable is open to all scholars and researchers attending this activist conference.
Monday 3:30-3:40 Emily van der Meulen, Elya Maria Durisin, Jessica Yee, and Kathryn Payne (Maggie’s): Sex Work and Canadian Policy: From the Feds to small town Ontario
This panel will provide an overview of the ways in which federal and municipal policies in Canada affect people working in the sex industry. Prostitution is not illegal in Canada, yet the legislation surrounding prostitution-related activities makes it difficult to work safely and without breaking the law. Canadian sex workers and allies have critiqued federal and municipal sex industry legislation for increasing violence and decreasing workplace safety. This panel will take a macro to micro look at criminalization in Canada from the federal level, to the municipal, to the ways in which workers’ are negatively affected.

First, we will present a critique of the four key sections of the federal Criminal Code that prohibit common work-related activities. Sex workers have identified that the federal Criminal Code increases vulnerability and violence. Specifically, the bawdyhouse provisions of sections 210 and 211 along with the criminalization of communication in section 213 have direct adverse consequences on sex workers’ workplace conditions. The procuring legislation of section 212 negatively impacts sex workers’ relationships with significant others and workplace managers.

Next, we will discuss the overly strenuous and excessive licensing restrictions and bylaws geared towards indoor sex work in some Canadian municipalities. Since about the 1970s, cities have increasingly created their own rules and regulations in an attempt to de facto regulate the sale of sexual services. Those who support licensing argue that it will provide sex workers with some of the social benefits of standard employment. In practice, however, licensing can present challenges to understanding sex work as a legitimate form of labour.

Last, we will conclude the panel with a discussion of how the combination of the federal and municipal laws create a policy quagmire in which sex workers receive the short end of the stick. Speaking from personal experiences about the impact of massage, escort, and dancing licenses, the panellists will argue in favour of decriminalization and the cessation of excessive licensing schemes. As sex workers and allies, academics and community members, we argue that Canadian policies stigmatize the sex industry, discriminate against sex workers’ basic human and labour rights, obstruct sex work organizing for improved employment standards, and have harmful and detrimental impacts on sex workers’ safety.

Part One: Presently, the law allows condoms to be used as evidence in civil and criminal proceedings for prostitution and related offenses. According to various nonprofits that work with those in the sex industry, as well as workers themselves, individuals are afraid of carrying even one condom for fear of arrest.

The detrimental public health impact of the status quo will be discussed. In 2007, the City of New York began a public health campaign to distribute free condoms. Seizing condoms as evidence undermines this effort by the city to support public health and further marginalizes those who are made vulnerable by criminalization, police abuse, and social stigmatization. Finally, the limitations of the bill will be addressed. The bill is not likely to alter the rate of arrests and does not take away legal penalties for engaging in delineated acts – what it will hopefully do is allow workers to feel safer about carrying condoms and allow a freer exchange between outreach workers and clients. Further, police may still confiscate, puncture, and otherwise destroy workers’ condoms.

Part Two: The next part of the presentation will discuss the political process which gave birth to the bill’s formulation and viability. While the bill was created by legislators, activists from the Sex Workers Project (SWP) and other organizations have become involved in generating awareness and support of the bill. The processes by which they have done this will be discussed, including reaching out to allies, local schools, and public health groups to conduct research and to write memos of support to legislators.

Part Three: This Part will include a cross-city and cross-cultural comparison of the issue. Similar political actions related to condoms as evidence have taken place in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and in England. Relevant laws in other municipalities may also be examined.

Part Four: The final part of the presentation will discuss the various steps other individuals and organizations can take to encourage similar legislation to pass. This may include a list of resources to contact and a list of ways to perform outreach and network with supporters.

1) To provide strategies and tips to reduce violence and assault

2) To provide supportive services for sexual, reproductive, Gerald health and referrals for requested drug treatments and other basic needs.

3) To provides education on STDs, HIV, sexual health, and condom negotiation with client.

We will focus on HIV testing, counseling, and care, as well as programs targeting safer drug use through Safety Counts groups, outreach for needle exchange and safer drug paraphernalia, and referrals and support for drug treatment centers and meeting. While past programs in different parts of the world have focused primarily on HIV prevention, our proposed agenda for sex workers is based on a model of harm reduction that decreases the extensive and overlapping harms affecting this population. The focus of this workshop will help female street-based and transient population sex workers that are prone to prevalent poverty and drug-use, including crack cocaine, powdered cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and marijuana. We will try to decrease harms related to heavy drug use, exposure to HIV and STDs, work-related discrimination, gender-related violence, and mental health issues related to trauma and abuse.
Monday 5:00pm to 6:30 Sessions
Track A- Academic and Policy
Monday 5:00-5:30 Cheryl Auger: Criminalization by another name
My presentation begins with a brief overview of Canada’s current laws and policies on sex work.  These include federal laws that prohibit most acts associated with selling sex through criminal sanctions and municipal by-laws that seek to regulate these very same practices. I argue Canada’s contradictory and confusing sex work laws and policies contribute to violations of sex workers’ human rights and harmful stereotypes that contribute to stigma against people in the sex trade.  In addition, I suggest that Canada’s laws and policies tend to reinforce racist and classist structures in Canadian society by targeting people who are already marginalized because of race, class, gender, and mental and physical health conditions. 

  The second part of the presentation will consider how New Zealand’s model of decriminalization might be implemented in the Canadian context.  I suggest that New Zealand’s experience with decriminalization offers a number of lessons for Canada, including the importance of including sex workers and sex workers’ organizations in the policy making process and the importance of prioritizing sex workers’ health and safety in any attempts at policy reform. In addition, New Zealand’s experience suggests that decriminalization in Canada could help to promote sex workers’ rights. Though New Zealand’s model of decriminalization offers a number of lessons for Canada it is also important to note some of the impediments to this type of policy reform, including Canada’s current conservative political leadership, the role some radical feminists have played in determining the terms of debate, and Canada’s relationship and proximity to the United States.

The disabled have the same desires and needs as everyone else. Erotic Dancers, Escorts, and other Adult Industry Professionals can provide a service that can dramatically improve the lives of the disabled. Our presentation is intended to be a guide to help adult industry professionals interact with people with disabilities in the best possible way.  I will begin with a brief discussion about how people with disabilities should be viewed by the adult industry. I will then provide correct terminology and etiquette, which may be utilized with people who have different disabilities.

Our presentation then covers: The Art of Lap Dancing for disabled customers: During an interview with a dancer, she said: “When I dance for a guy in a wheelchair, I ask him if he would like to move to a chair or couch. If he is able, we move. If he needs to remain in his chair, I ask if he minds if I move the wheelchair foot pedals out of the way. Being a nurse, I am able to do that quickly and efficiently. I ask if he minds if I sit in his lap. Then I dance normally. Even if he is paralyzed and can't feel a thing, it's still visual, and he still gets to imagine what it feels like.” 

Initial contact between escorts and disabled customers: One of the interesting dilemmas that happens for escorts, and their potential clients who have a speech or hearing problem, is how does the client contact the escort? Normally, clients would contact the worker by calling them on the phone, but what if the client cannot speak clearly? Or the client cannot hear the person talking to him/her?  There are various solutions to these issues. With the growing use of technology a person can easily access email, instant messaging or text messaging as a form of initial limited contact; if the worker has a website then he/she could indicate that disabled clients can email, instant message or text message with basic and/or very specific information.

Our presentation covers correct sensual etiquette between escorts and disabled customers. We discuss specific sensual positions that work best with different disabilities. This presentation concludes with a discussion of Spinal Cord Injury and Sexuality, Catheters and Sexuality, and Ostomies.
Monday 5:00-5:40 Kelli Dorsey: Opportunities to Move Mountains: 2012 HIV/AIDS Conference and the US Anti-prostitution Pledge
For the first time since 1990, the International HIV/AIDS Conference will be held in United States in 2012 in Washington, DC. This poses an extraordinary opportunity for the national sex work organizing and advocacy community to challenge the anti-prostitution pledge. The anti-prostitution pledge, a US policy that hurts the international sex work community, can only be challenged by people in the US. This round table will bring together sex work organizers to discuss the opportunity presenting itself in 2012 and how we should move forward in organizing to abolish this US policy that adversely affects policies internationally.
Monday 5:50-6:30 Robin Head: CIA Corruption: Prostitution, Blackmail, and Political Corruption By CIA Agents of the United States

My name is Robin Head, previous owner of Playboy Escorts in Houston, Texas. I was approached by various law enforcement agencies, FBI, ATF, etc., who wanted me to abet them in entrapping "state and political officials" having sex so they could extort, control and blackmail them- not to charge them with misdemeanor prostitution. At the same time, women at my service were being tricked and trafficked overseas to Bangkok and called me collect from a jail in Vienna.

A madam from Alabama was found hanging in a federal jail cell in nearby Brazoria County. When I refused to abet in the extortion, I was thrown in jail, no bond, a 'life' sentence filed on me, and then my son and family were harassed and attacked endlessly in some kind of gang-like mafia-style.

I went to the FBI, but it was like reporting the devil to the witch; they said they would help me but only if I would help them, again, to set up officials. They had no interest in the corruption aspect. Some very high profile names were involved, people seen on TV news commentary.

Who are these agents with this monstrous agenda and what do they want? This is not a left/right wing thing it is a most vicious entity in this country.

This country has become as fearful as any 3rd world country when it comes to reporting crime to officials, just exactly like in Russia, Iraq, Africa, Mexico, etc., where it is the officials that are the perpetrators of the crimes, kidnapping, ransom, drugs, and it is dangerous to report to them.

From author and escort Amanda Brooks:  Offline privacy and money management.  I will offer simple, legal methods of disassociating your real name/home address from your work name.  It can also be important to keep your real name and actual place of residence separate from one another.  Learn which prepaid card can be used for registering domain names, do business banking without opening a business account, and discreetly move your earnings across state and international borders.

Professional hacker Alex Sotirov will be covering online/digital privacy, with a focus on how your activities can be tracked online and what steps you can take to try and maintain as much anonymity as possible on the net.