Shift Calgary

Survival Sex Work

2012-01-26T10:53:00.000-08:00

The language used around something or someone frames the way in which we understand it. Recently I was reading an online discussion around the term “survival sex work.” I found the discussion around the terminology of survival sex work brought up a lot of interesting and insightful reflections which highlights the diversity of the experience of people involved in sex work and the way in which those experiences are understood.

What is “survival sex work”?
The term refers to individuals who are engaging in sex work due to outside circumstances. In other words, survival sex workers are not engaging in sex work of their own violation but out of environmental factors & need that could be related to poverty, addictions or mental health concerns as example. There is a sense of vulnerability related to survival sex work because those involved may have an increase chance that they will take risks to obtain and maintain clients. As example, when faced with poverty the opportunity for a sex worker to negotiate safer sex is diminished –have sex without a condom or risk losing the date and not be able to pay rent. A sex worker who isn’t involved in survival sex work could say “no” to sex without a condom because he/she wouldn’t risk losing housing. Having said all that, it is important to be clear about the difference between survival sex work and sexual exploitation. A person may experience sexual exploitation if she or he is being forced into sex work without their consent and do not have control or choice over their work, earnings, services provided etc.

What is really interesting in this conversation is that it highlights the diversity of the experience of people involved in sex work

Why is the term “survival sex work” controversial?
There are always challenges that arsis when we begin to put a label on a group of people because it boxes the experiences of many into one, singular reality. Labels also stigmatize those who fall under them. The term survival sex work creates the image of a victim, helpless and not in control. The label of “survival sex worker”, then, can take away the power and the voice of those involved.

Some argue not to use the term survival sex worker. People who fall under this category state that those involved in the supposed “survival sex work” should not be named as “sex workers” as sex work is about the consensual exchange of sexual services for money or goods. Those that argue this point might assert that if outside circumstances are influencing the sex worker, it is no longer consensual and no longer sex work. Others argue that the term is loaded with stigma and infers that sex work is harmful and damaging, when in fact it is not the sex work that is harmful for survival sex workers but the circumstances. As well, some people maintain that the term is redundant as regardless of the motivating facts, survival sex work is still work and should be understood in the same way as sex work.

On the other side, some people reason that it is important to have the term survival sex worker to fully understand the unique experiences and vulnerabilities of survival sex workers so that those involved can be understood & supported. As well, sex work is often seen by the outside community as one blanket experience where all involved are vulnerable. The term can help people understand that survival sex work is one experience of many in the sex industry.

It is valuable to explore and reflect on the language used to describe those involved in sex work and how that shapes our understanding. Most importantly, it is our language that ultimately impacts people, people who have a diverse experiences and diverse needs. Whatever words are used, they should always reflect and represent the person.

Criminalization & Violence

2012-01-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Shift recently published a position statement in support of decriminalization of sex work. Decriminalization is an important issue for those involved in sex work because of the connection between criminalization & violence. Criminalization transforms behaviors and individuals into crimes and criminals. In the area of sex work, criminalization pushes sex workers to the margins of society, increasing their vulnerability to violence in their work.

The most commonly discussed consequence of criminalization is connected to Canada’s prostitution laws. With Canada’s current laws, sex workers can’t negotiate openly, form collectives, hire receptionists, drivers or bodyguards for screening or protection and are unable to exchange sexual services in a safe working environment. Decriminalization of sex work would eliminate those laws, ensuring sex workers would have the power to negotiate & screen clients, surround themselves with people to increase safety, and work in locations they feel are safer. Boundary restrictions can also be a result of being criminalized, which can prevent workers from entering into certain areas of their town or city. These locations may be where sex workers live, work or access services thus impeding workers from living out their daily lives, accessing support or addressing their needs.

Further marginalization occurs because sex workers may be hesitant to report bad dates to the police for fear of being criminalized, making their identity known to police or if they have warrants for their arrest. This means that many acts of violence against sex workers are unreported and unaddressed by the authorities, creating an environment where perpetrators target sex workers because of this vulnerability.

Criminalization also perpetrates stigma & discrimination by fostering the image of workers as being criminals, corrupt, and devious. The result is that sex workers can often be seen as not being credible and their concerns about violence are not taken seriously. Some have argued that if sex workers do not wish to experience violence, they should just leave the industry. This is also an example of discrimination as it puts the blame on sex workers and implies that there is no other way to prevent the violence.

Criminalization can be used as an argument in favour of increasing safety in sex work, stating that the laws prevents people from entering into or staying in the sex trade. Within this argument, those involved in sex work are portrayed as victims that are in need of laws to help ‘save” them. Laws that put sex workers in the position of victim take away their voices, their power to make decisions around their bodies and work and their right to self-determination. This means that the regulation of sex work is not in the hands of sex workers themselves who know how to increase their safety, but in the hands of other institutions.

Criminalization further marginalizes those involved in the sex industry because it causes challenges for sex workers to fully integrate into society. As example, workers may feel disconnected by not being able to share their experiences with family or friends. Workers may be less likely to access formal or informal support, such as counseling, when dealing with the consequences of violence. Additionally, if a sex worker wishes to move away from an unsafe situation, he or she may have a difficult time obtaining alternative work as a criminal record closes off options.

Criminalization of sex workers’ clients is also not beneficial for sex workers. Taking away a workers’ consumer base only increases the chances that workers will take more risks to obtain and maintain clients. As well, criminalization of clients may reduce the chances that a client, or date, would report if they suspect a worker is experiencing exploitation.

For more information, please see the AIDS Calgary’s position statement in support of decriminalization of sex work; http://www.shiftcalgary.org/Past_Events.html
For more information on Canada’s prostitution laws, please check out our legal card; http://www.shiftcalgary.org/uploads/Legal_Card.pdf

Sex Workers are People Too

2012-01-05T07:45:00.000-08:00

As a case manager for Shift, I have the opportunity to engage with one of the most misunderstood, judged, and largely ignored populations in our society: sex workers. They are the only group of people that I can think of who are stigmatized solely based on the way they earn a living. I am lucky to have first-hand knowledge of the diversity, resiliency, and strength in the people I see every day.

Note that I have referred to sex workers as PEOPLE. This is an identity that society should recognize before their occupation. Sex workers can be parents, siblings, colleagues, friends, and advocates, to name a few. When they meet me for counseling, they talk about “regular” issues like, conflict resolution, healthy sexuality, relationships, money management, and parenting.

Sex Workers are just as DIVERSE as people in other professions. They are men, women, and transgendered. I get the opportunity to work with adults of different ages, education levels and from different socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In addition they offer a diverse range of services like domination, erotic massage, and phone-sex. They have boundaries about what they will and will not do.

They have SKILLS and ABILITIES that are often overlooked. I have met sex workers who are web-page designers, artists, chefs, singers, psychologists, military personnel, musicians, healers, writers, and the list goes on. With that being said, sex workers are far from stupid, uneducated, and lazy. They work hard for their money. They do not need to be rescued, but respected. They know what they are doing and have a right to self-determination.

Sex workers are RESILIENT and STRONG. They often work in unsafe working conditions. They have been told messages by whole communities, their governments, and sometimes their own family and friends that they don’t belong, that there is something wrong with them, and that their rights aren’t as important simply because of the work that they do.

Either way we look at it, sex workers are just like everyone else, they just have a different way of earning money. Is it really our business to be judging that? If you saw a sex worker on the bus, or in your favourite restaurant, you wouldn’t even know it. And does it even really matter? As much as I am fortunate to work with sex workers, the fact that this job exists says a lot about how society makes it their business.

This post was written by the Shift case manager. If you are interested in finding out more of the services that Shift can offer through case management, please connect with Shift at (403) 237-8171 or info@shiftcalgary.org

International Transgender Day of Remembrance

2011-12-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

November 20, 2011 was the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. This Memorial Day is held in honour of the victims of anti-transgender violence. The Day of Remembrance was started in 1999 after a woman named Rita Hester was stabbed multiple times in her apartment on November 28, 1999. Rita was a female-identified transgendered person who was often referred to in the press as “he” and her male-born name was often used; a name that she had not used for several years. Rita’s death sparked a movement within the transgendered community, whereby those who had been killed either directly or indirectly by anti-transgendered hate and bias are remembered.

Transgendered (trans) individuals are a unique community but can be invisible when they are lumped into the category of gay and lesbian, when in fact gender identity has nothing to do with sexual identity.

There are some things that cis-gendered* people can do to create a better environment where a trans person can feel more comfortable. It is important that cis-gendered people recognize that not everyone identifies as male or female. Someone’s appearance will not always be able to tell you what their gender identity is. Some trans people are not visibly trans; a person may appear male but their gender identity may be female. Others may have already transitioned and you may not even realize that they used to be male or female-bodied. Many people assume that you will be able to “tell” if a person is transgendered and this is almost never the case. Ask people what pronouns they prefer to use. Always refer to people in the pronouns that they prefer, even if it doesn’t match how you would view them. Check out the Non-trans privilege checklist!
http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2006/09/22/the-non-trans-privilege-checklist

*Cis-gendered refers to the people whose gender-identity and physical body match. For example, a person who is born in a female body with female sex hormones identifies as female. The “opposite” of cis-gendered is trans-gendered.

References:
“International Transgender Day of Remembrance,” last modified September 2, 2011, http://www.transgenderdor.org/
Action Santé Travesti(e)s et Transsexuel(le)s du Québec, Taking Charge: A Handbook for Health Care and Social Service Providers Working with Trans People (Montreal, QUE, 2011).

This article , adapted for the Shift Blog, was written by one of AIDS Calgary’s practicum students for The A Word on November 23, 2011. Check out the A Word at www.aidscalgary.org

Red Umbrella Day: International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

2011-11-25T13:53:00.000-08:00

December 17th marks Red Umbrella Day, a day that calls attention to the violence that sex workers face all over the globe. The day commemorates the hate crimes, violence and discrimination that sex workers face, and urges the public to respect the basic human rights of sex workers. The story of violence towards sex workers across Canada, for the most part, goes untold. Violent crimes against sex workers often go unreported, unaddressed and unpunished. Many sex workers may be hesitant to discuss violence due to stigma and judgment from being involved in sex work. Workers may not wish to report bad dates to the police for fear of being criminalized, making their identity known to police or if they have warrants for their arrest.

Violence should not be accepted as part of the job, but yet sex work & violence have become so intertwined that it is almost normalized. This can be seen in commonly heard statements like “what do sex workers expect?” or “if sex workers just stopped working they wouldn’t be hurt.” Such attitudes imply that violence is not only an accepted but inevitable part of sex work and that it is the workers themselves that are to blame. Simply not true! We are all responsible for taking urgent steps to ensure the people involved in the sex industry, our friends, family and community’s, right to safety is addressed.

In recognition of International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, Shift will be hosting a symposium and launching Shift’s Red Umbrella Challenge on December 15 from 5:30-7:30pm at the Calgary Cares Centre. Please join us for an evening of speakers & a panel discussion to address violence against sex work, and explore ways in which we can take steps to increase safety for all those involved in sex work.

Decreasing Social Isolation

2011-11-17T12:44:00.001-08:00

Marginalized populations, including people living with HIV and sex workers, experience higher levels of social isolation. The stigma and discrimination related to HIV and sex work can make it “very easy to become isolated from friends, family and community” (Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange [CATIE]), 2009 p 71). Isolation can lead to depression, increased addiction issues, low self-esteem, and overall feelings of negativity.

In July 2011, AIDS Calgary introduced a new position, an Education/Support Worker. A part of this position’s role is to create workshops, groups, and social events for clients. As the person who was lucky enough to get hired for this position, I have focused a lot of my time on developing more social inclusion activities for clients; understanding the positive impact that these events can have.

In September I got the chance to accompany clients on the second annual zoo trip. This gave me a firsthand glimpse into the positive outcomes of a social outing. Friendships were developed, jokes were told, and the general mood of every participant increased; mine included. Since then AIDS Calgary, with the help of my new position, have worked hard to develop more opportunities for social outings, both for our HIV supports program, as well as the Shift program.

One upcoming event is our Glenbow Museum trip. On November 16th the HIV supports clients will get the opportunity to visit the Glenbow Museum for free. This will allow clients to explore the featured exhibit ‘Watch Me Move: The Animation Sho’, which explores the progress of the animated world, from Snow White all the way to the Lord of the Rings. The trip will give clients a chance to engage with others, build social supports, and just enjoy the beauty and creativity of the animated world. The same trip will be offered for our Shift clients on November 30th.

I am personally very excited to attend the trip to the Glenbow Museum. I also look forward to developing many more social events for our clients. Until then…I hope to see you all at the Museum!

This blog was orginally posted on AIDS Calgary's the A Word Blog on November 3, 2011 at http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/2011/11/decreasing-social-isolation.htmlThis article was created by ACAA's Education & Support Worker. To learn more about the programs and services Shift offers visit or contact info@shiftcalgary.org www.shiftcalgary.org

The Unheard Voice

2011-11-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

I feel so alone and cold
I’m lost and blind
A childless mother, also the motherless child
I walk aimless around and around
What I am looking for, never finding
I’m scarred from the inside out
Never to heal my wounds, lost, forgotten
Who I am?
I am any and every women
you have ever judged on the street corner
I have died alone in the shallow grave
Never to be found
And if found, never to be identified
I am your mother, your sister, your daughter
I am that voice crying for help
That falls upon deaf ears

This poem was written by a Shift Engagement Project volunteer. To learn more about the Shift Engagement Project, drop us a line at 403.237.8171 or email info@shiftcalgary.org

You can also find more information on the project in our April 2011 submission here: http://shiftcalgary.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

Sex Worker Positive: How to be an Ally

2011-11-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

You know a sex worker! Whether you are involved in sex work, a customer of the sex industry, a service provider or maybe a family or friend, you know (whether you know it or not) someone involved in sex work. There are many ways in which you can support these friends, clients, coworkers etc. of yours.

To begin with, it is imperative to understand the continuum of sexual exchange. On one end the continuum there are people who make a choice to be involved in sex work while on the other end there are people involved in the sex industry who are experiencing exploitation. In the middle of the continuum there are people whose level of choice may be influenced by struggles for money or with other concerns. Allow the person involved in sex work to name where they are on the continuum and what their needs are. Assuming that all sex workers are victims who are trying to get out of the industry or need help does not recognize that not all sex workers want or are prepared to exit. Using a harm reduction and rights based framework will support sex workers where they are at on the continuum and recognize workers’ right to self-determination.

Whether you believe that sex work is inherently exploitative or that it is a person’s right to choose, be conscious of your own values & attitudes and how they influence your actions. Stigma and discrimination is one of the biggest barriers to sex workers’ rights and safety. Isolation and marginalization occur when sex workers experience judgment from the people in their lives, their friends, service provides, and clients, distancing the workers from the support and services they may need. Seek out sex worker friendly information, materials and resources. Know the truth behind the mainstream information that can be biased against sex workers or offer inaccurate information. Education & awareness helps fight against stigma, so be an advocate for sex workers rights and fight the discrimination that exists. For an agency, know the needs that sex workers face and create a resource bank in your organization that will address sex work issues and have them out in the open. This allows people to know that you are aware and comfortable addressing the needs of people involved in the industry.

Recognize that for many people sex work is work and it should be treated as a form of employment. It is false to believe that a sex worker can be bought or rented, but instead workers set their own rules and limits as to what services will be performed, the price and the duration. Sex workers have professional skills, boundaries, and rights that must all be respected, and should have access to the same work-related health and safety as all professionals.

Halloween Howler: Social Event

2011-10-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

Shift invites you to join us for a Halloween Open House!

This is a chance for anyone involved in sex work to gather together to build community, find out about Shift and have an exciting night. Massage, a movie, snacks and great conversation will all be available!

Who can join us?
Any person currently working or has worked in sex work including: escort, street level, massage, dance, web and any other venue of sex work. This event is open to both registered and non-registered clients to attend.

For more information please
connect with Shift
403.237.8171
info@shiftcalgary.org
We look forward to seeing you there!

The low down on rapid testing

2011-10-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

What if getting tested for HIV was just as easy as going to the bank? What if it was actually more convenient than renewing your driver’s license? Do you think that you would be more likely to get tested? Rapid testing is suggesting exactly that, a way to make testing for HIV less invasive and less expensive, in hopes of encouraging the act of getting tested.

The testing process
Traditional preliminary HIV tests have used an antibody detection method; they test for antibodies to HIV, not the virus itself. Currently, ELISA is a widespread and often commonly used test. It is inexpensive and highly accurate, but positive results must be confirmed by another process which is called Western blotting(2). The combined accuracy of the ELISA and Western Blot tests is greater than 99%(2). However, the combination of these tests can be expensive, and it may take weeks before an individual is able to obtain their results.

Rapid testing
In recent years the introduction of rapid testing has offered solutions to these problems and other advantages. For example like the ELISA test, a rapid test detect the presence of HIV antibodies, and they too must be treated as a preliminary (positive results need to be confirmed by a Western Blot). But unlike ELISAs, rapid tests are… rapid. People can obtain their results in as little as 20 minutes (2). In fact, the test itself only takes 60 seconds – the remaining 19 plus minutes are invested in pre- and post-test counseling. This means that anyone can go into a clinic and test for HIV without the hassle of having to return weeks later (without rapid testing, results must be determined in a lab away from the point of care). Now you might be questioning my choice of words, namely “hassle.” Whether the results are positive or negative and regardless of the type of test, you would think that a person getting tested would still want to know their test results. Surprisingly, the Director of the Southern Alberta Clinic in Calgary, Dr. John Gill, said in December 2010 that nearly one third of all people who go in to get tested for HIV never return to receive their results (3)! Sometimes the weeks of waiting can take their toll. With rapid testing, the results are instantaneous, which may alleviate the anxieties around a lengthy wait.

Accessibility
As rapid tests don’t require off site labs, they are much more accessible to less developed countries and higher risk areas of the world. Rapid tests will hopefully make HIV testing more accessible to the developed world too.With tests like OraQuick, clinics in the United States can test for the HIV virus without even drawing blood, it uses patient saliva and again results are obtained in 20 minutes. This is because the test (like other rapid tests, as mentioned) detects HIV antibodies, which are detectable in saliva.. The United States has also approved a rapid test, called Home Access Express HIV-1, for personal, at home use(2). This test, although extremely accessible, is not-so-rapid as the test sample needs to be mailed to a lab. Although the sky seems to be the limit when it comes to rapid testing, the first order of contention must be: What is available to us in Canada, and what is the future of rapid testing here? The Medical Devices Bureau of Health Canada first approved the INSTI HIV rapid test back in 2005(1). In March 2011, researchers at the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health in Edmonton have reported the results of comparative tests between the performance of INSTI HIV and classic HIV test methods. They found that INSTI HIV is just as sensitive as the standard preliminary methods(4). In other words, the results provided by INSTI HIV rapid tests are just as accurate in detecting HIV anitbodies as the standard tests. In spite of these findings… and further in spite of the fact that they were determined in Alberta, rapid tests are still to this day not available to the general public except in specifically predetermined situations. Officials at Alberta Health Services claim that more confidence in rapid test results needs to be established before options will be made available to Albertans(3).I think it’s safe to say there is a bright and hopeful future in rapid HIV testing. We can only hope that Alberta is able to realize that future sooner than later. This year ACAA will be holding a conference which will include a presentation by Dr. Ameeta Singh about recent findings on rapid HIV and Syphilis testing in Alberta. For more information or to register for ACAA’s conference click here. To read ACAA’s position statement on rapid testing click here.

Sources:
1. 2007, Canadian AIDS Society, http://www.cdnaids.ca/web/backgrnd.nsf/pages/cas-gen-0142
2. 2009, THE BODY – The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource, http://www.thebody.com/content/art2497.html#rapid
3. December 1 2010, CBC News, Rapid HIV test urged for Alberta, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2010/12/01/calgary-alberta-aids-hiv-test-rapid.html
4. March 2011, J Virol Methods, 172(1-2):66 – 71, Lee BE, Plitt S, Preiksaitis JK, Singh AE, Rapid HIV tests in acute care settings in an area of low HIV prevalence in Canada, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21192977

This post was orginally posted on May 13, 2011 on AIDS Calgary's The A Word. This post was written by Cory Waller an AIDS Calgary Awareness Association volunteer blog writers. Cory has a B.Sc in Biochemistry.

Sex Work: A Rights Based Approach

2011-10-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

Shift’s mission statement asserts that along with a harm reduction framework, Shift uses a rights based approach to the programs and services provided. Basic human rights of individuals involved in sex work are the core foundation of the Shift program. Shift recognizes the rights of sex workers as individuals and as workers. As a result, Shift advocates on behalf of individuals working in sex work based on basic human rights for themselves and their families: appropriate health care, housing, safety & security, equal protection under the law, and improved working condition.
Sex workers have the same human rights as all people, including the right to safety while working. No one ever deserves to experience violence or assault. Suggestion that violence, abuse or assault is part of the job is blaming the victims of these crimes and implying that it is acceptable under those circumstances. The current prostitution laws also put people involved in sex work at greater risk for violence by forcing sex workers to work in unsafe working conditions, criminalizing sex workers and creating barriers to reporting violence due to fear of prosecution. See AIDS Calgary’s position statement in support of decriminalization of sex work for more information at http://www.shiftcalgary.org/Past_Events.html
Sex workers also have a right to self-determination. The right to self-determination means that workers are treated and respected as capable, competent individuals who are able to make their own decisions. First, this means that workers have the right to do what they wish with their bodies, including sex work. Service providers, law enforcement and the community do not have the ability to take that right away. Secondly, sex workers have the right to name their own needs. Those involved in sex work often report that when they share with service providers that they are sex workers, service providers will focus on the sex work and not the actual need the worker has requested to address. This often occurs when service providers insist that sex workers are victims and should be “saved” from their work, insisting that they need to exit the industry. Sex workers should be able to direct their own course of action and not have outside people establish goals for them.
Sex workers also have a right to live free from discrimination and stigma. Sex workers are one of the most marginalized populations due to society’s fear, lack of knowledge and understanding around sex work. Many people view sex workers as criminals, or people who are committing indecent or immoral acts. The media and pop culture often make derogatory statements about sex workers or portray workers in a negative light. This kind of stigma leads to discrimination, thus further isolating sex workers from society, decreasing their access to basic rights of health care, services and community connections.
Sex Workers refuse to accept the discrimination and rights violations that occur against them. Shift stands with sex workers against the fight, advocating and supporting those involved in sex work.

Safety in Sex Work

2011-09-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

Sex work is one of the most dangerous professions there is. Often there are situations that put you at risk for violence because of the isolating factors of the sex trade. Here are some tips to stay safer while working.

· Always get the money up front and negotiate your services before you get started. It is more difficult to negotiate after the fact.

· When working on the street, try to work with a friend. Watch out for each other; notice the details of the date (age, ethnicity, identifying features such as tattoos/scars), and their car (color, year, make). Also notice what time they left, and write down the license plate number if you can.

· When doing outcall work, make sure someone knows where you are going and what time you are expected to return. If your agency doesn’t do this for you, or you work independently, find a friend that you can trust.

· When getting into a car or going into a date’s place make sure you are the only one there. Scan the room, check behind doors and in back seats.

· Try to stay sober, or reduce the amount of drugs and alcohol you use on a date. The more high or drunk you are, the more difficult it is to negotiate with clients. While high or drunk you may agree to services that you do not normally offer.

· Read bad date sheets and carry one with you.

· Don’t carry valuables on you-purse, wallet, jewellery could all be stolen. Carry only your Health Care card for ID.

· Above all trust your instincts. If you don’t trust someone, don’t go with them. Very rarely are our instincts wrong!

Bad Dates:

Shift publishes the bad date sheet so sex workers can share bad experiences and help protect each other. Please report any bad dates you have had anonymously and confidentially. You can report online at www.shiftcalgary.org or leave a message on our 24 hour hot-line number: 403. 237.8171. Staff at Safeworks, can also help you to report: 403. 850.3755. Both indoor and outdoor workers can report bad dates.

So, what is a bad date? Anything that you do not want yourself or others to experience. Anytime you get that uneasy or creepy feeling, theft, refusal of payment, threats or all acts of violence are examples of a bad date. To report the bad date to Calgary Police Services, please call 403. 206.5950.

Why has syphilis made headlines lately?

2011-09-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

The cases of syphilis in Alberta have dramatically increased since 2000. There were 267 known cases of syphilis in 2009 compared to only 15 in 2000. “In Alberta in 2009, there have been seven confirmed cases of infants born with congenital syphilis; another six infants remain under investigation. By contrast, in 2009 there has been one case of congenital syphilis reported in one other Canadian province” (Alberta Health and Wellness, Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, p. 1, 2010).

The Alberta government has responded with an edgy online campaign; http://plentyofsyph.com/ which includes a website, Twitter and YouTube channel. They have also launched several primetime commercials addressing syphilis, utilizing the online dating theme. PlentyofSyph.com is a fictitious dating site that is complete with a variety of member profiles and videos (all played by actors and actresses) of individuals dealing with different stages of syphilis infection. Via the videos and profiles, members discuss their syphilis stages and symptoms in very graphic terms. As visitors peruse the profiles they learn tidbits about syphilis signs and symptoms. Within a profile, a visitor can read about the person’s syphilis stage and if they click on the contact button, they are linked to the “help/info” section. The “help/info” button is also on the top corner of the site and when clicked takes the visitor to the section that provides concise information on syphilis symptoms, prevention, testing and treatment. “Membership” is revoked when an individual is treated and cured of the disease.

So what is syphilis?
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is sexually transmitted. It can be transmitted via oral, vaginal, anal intercourse, sharing of sex toys or other sexual activities. Syphilis can also be transmitted from an infected mother transmitted to her unborn child.

Syphilis is curable, but if left untreated can cause long-term health problems such as mental illness, blindness, deafness, heart disease or even death. Having an active case of syphilis can also increase your risk of becoming infected with other STI’s such as HIV.

Untreated syphilis progresses through four stages:

Primary Stage
During the primary stage of syphilis infection, a painless sore or ulcer appears at the point where the bacteria has entered the body; usually the genital area, anus, or throat. This sore may also be found in unconventional areas like on the hands, etc. Because the sore is painless, many people may not know the sore is there, specifically if it is in an area where it is not easily visible. (Health Canada, 2006)

Secondary Stage
In the secondary stage of syphilis, generally the painless sore will go away, and symptoms such as the following may occur:
• Patchy hair loss
• A rash on the soles of the feet, the palms of the hands or elsewhere on the body
• Fever
• Swollen glands
• Muscle and joint pain (Health Canada, 2006)

Latent Stage
The latent stage of syphilis begins when there are no more symptoms of secondary syphilis. At this point, the bacteria are still present in the body, with no apparent symptoms at all. During the first portion of this stage known as “early latent”, the individual is still highly Infectious. Later on in this stage, the individual will move into the “late latent” stage, where the chance of transmission becomes very low. If untreated in latent syphilis, the infection may progress to what’s known as “tertiary syphilis”.

Tertiary Stage
Without treatment this infection may progress to tertiary or “late” syphilis. During this stage, the bacteria will damage the eyes, brain, nervous system, heart, joints, and most of the rest of the body. It may take years or even decades from the point of infection for syphilis to progress to this stage” (AIDS Calgary).

“Late syphilis can result in mental illness, blindness, deafness, memory loss or other neurological problems, heart disease, and death. Late neurosyphilis (brain or spinal cord damage) is one of the most severe signs of this stage.” (NIAID, 2009)

Syphilis Prevention Strategies
1. “Be aware that your inhibitions are lowered when you have been drinking or taking drugs. - Even when sober it can be easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment. The Bottom line: Always be prepared. Buy your condoms and lube now.

2. Don’t think that you can tell who has syphilis just by looking at them. Anyone can get syphilis and there may be no visible signs that someone is infected.

3. Pay attention to your body. Check for sores or rashes. Often syphilis goes unnoticed because the symptoms are similar to other infections or people just don’t notice their symptoms.

4. Get tested. The earlier syphilis is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat it. “Infectious syphilis is completely treatable with antibiotics (generally penicillin), and is much easier to treat early on…Aside from a family doctor, you can also get tested at the Calgary STI Clinic, Safeworks or a Family Planning Clinic.” (AIDS Calgary starting September, 2011).

The good news is that it’s easy to reduce your risk of contracting syphilis. There are many safer sex tools such as condoms, dental dams and gloves, which you can use to reduce your risk of contracting the infection or any other STI’s.

What do you think?
The “Plenty of Syph” website is very interactive with the ability to review varied make believe“profiles” of men and women from various backgrounds and sexual orientations. As of June 29, 2011, the campaign’s YouTube channel; http://www.youtube.com/user/plentyofsyph has had over 40,000 upload views. In addition to all of the media attention, the campaign has also garnered a great deal of controversy given the provocative nature of its content.

But the campaign has also endured some criticism. The Calgary Herald recently reported that the Vancouver based dating site PlentyofFish.com has some contention with the mock site’s name similarity and services (Calgary Herald, Real dating website sore over Alberta syphilis campaign, 2011). There have also been rumours that this campaign could insinuate that only individuals who engage in online dating are at risk for contracting syphilis. Whether you find the campaign intriguing or offensive, it’s certainly achieved increased syphilis awareness and hopefully instigated safer sex practices and encouraged testing. Check it out and tell us what you think.

Sources

1. Health Canada, (2006). Syphilis. Retrieved June 29, 2011, from It's Your Health Web site: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/diseases-maladies/Syphilis-eng.php

2. NIAID, (2009). Syphilis. Retrieved June 28, 2011, from Understanding Web site: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/Syphilis/understanding/symptoms.htm

3. Alberta Health and Wellness, Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (2010). The Syphilis Outbreak in Alberta http://www.health.alberta.ca/documents/STI-Syphilis-Report-2010.pdf

4. AIDS Calgary, retrieved June 28, 2011 from: http://lookwhatsback.com/

5.The Calgary Herald, Real dating website sore over Alberta syphilis campaign, Bryce Forbes. June 15, 2011. http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Real+dating+website+sore+over+Alberta+syphilis+campaign/4948180/story.html

This blog was orginally posted on AIDS Calgary's The A Word August 11, 2011 http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/

Harm Reduction & Sex Work: They Can Go Together!

2011-09-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

The Shift Blog has had numerous posts on harm reduction recently, but has missed the important piece of exploring how the principles of harm reduction and sex work can go together. To explain the relationship between harm reduction and sex work, this week’s post will examine how harm reduction can be applied to sex work.

Harm reduction refers to a range of services designed to reduce the harmful consequences associated with recreational drug use and other high risk activities. Basic harm reduction principles recognize that individuals who engage in high risk activities such as shared drug use or unprotected sex are potentially at risk for endangering their health, but for many people abstaining from these activities is not possible. Harm reduction works to reduce the risks associated with these activities by education and providing resources.

Sex work can be a dangerous profession. Sex workers can be exposed to serious harms: drug use, disease, violence, discrimination, debt, criminalization, and exploitation to name a few. The use of harm reduction principles can help make sex workers' lives safer and healthier.

For the Shift program, harm reduction means that we focus on a non-exit based approach. That means that for any adult who wishes to exit or leave sex work, Shift will provide the individual with the support to do so, however it is not mandatory to exit sex work to access our services. This reduces the harm associated with sex work by ensuring support and services are open to everyone in sex work, not just those who are interested or able to exit.

Shift also uses harm reduction principles by offering free safer sex supplies such as male and female condoms, dental dams and lube to both individuals and agencies involved in sex work. Working safer also means that sex workers have information around how to screen clients or increase their personal safety while on the job. Shift will offer such safety and screening tips to sex workers who request it. As well, Shift publishes the bad date sheet. The Bad Date sheet is list of bad dates sex workers have reported to us which is then disseminated to other workers who can use the information to screen their potential dates.

Shift’s additional support services such as housing, food, and counseling can also be seen as utilizing harm reduction principles because we believe individuals such as our clients, who are not hungry or in need of stable housing, as example, are less vulnerable and will then have the ability to make safer decisions for themselves.

Regardless of the decisions a person makes in his/her life, everyone deserves health, safety and wellbeing. Harm reduction helps provide those basic human rights.

Come walk with us!

2011-09-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life is almost upon us. For those of you familiar with our agency, you may already know that the Walk is our biggest fundraiser You also know that the money raised through the walk goes to our vital support, prevention and education programs for AIDS Calgary-including the Shift Program!

For one Sunday in September, every year, anywhere from 500 – 1000 people gather in Eau Claire Plaza. They may be walking as friends, family or coworkers of AIDS Calgary. They may be walking in support of someone who is living with HIV or in memory of a loved one. They may be walking because they care about adults involved in sex work and know that by supporting AIDS Calgary’s Shift Program they are helping to maintain the work that we do. Whether our Walkers have raised 50 dollars, 5,000 dollars or no dollars, they are making a contribution;they are standing up for their community.

Walk to raise money for support services. Walk to end stigma and discrimination. Whatever your reason, just Walk.

Join us on Sunday, September 25th at the 2011 Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life. Rain or shine, the walk begins at 12:00pm. Visit www.aidscalgary.org to learn more, get registered or make a donation.

This post is an adaptation of a blog posted on the A Word September 3, 2009.

World renowned researcher visits Calgary

2011-08-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

Dr. Frank Plummer, a world renowned HIV/AIDS researcher as well as the Chief Science Advisor and Scientific Director General of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg, delivered an exciting presentation at the University of Calgary on June 3, 2011. His talk, entitled “Slowness to integrate science into HIV prevention policy,” covered his HIV research work in Africa over the past 25 years. ACAA volunteer blog writer Shweta Sah had a chance to listen to Dr. Plummer's lecture and speak with him regarding his research.

Ground-breaking discovery in Africa

Dr. Plummer is best known for his discovery of a subset of Kenyan sex trade workers who are naturally resistant to HIV. He commenced a study of 500 sex trade workers in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi in the late 1980s which helped disseminate the notion that HIV/AIDS was not just a homosexual disease, as approximately two thirds of the study participants (mostly women) were HIV positive. Although establishing that women could in fact be infected by the virus through vaginal intercourse was certainly a key finding, what was more remarkable was the discovery Dr. Plummer made regarding the other third of the study’s populous.

While typically belonging to a high risk vulnerable population, HIV negative individuals from this particular group of sex workers displayed a natural resistance to HIV-1. Moreover, a cohort study conducted in Nairobi showed that the percentage of HIV seroconversion (detection of specific antibodies against HIV antigens) was highest amongst sex workers who did not use condoms versus those who used condoms 100% of the time. This meant that despite engaging in high risk behaviour (i.e. unprotected sex) members of this Nairobi sex worker population with a natural resistance to HIV were less susceptible to contracting the virus than those who practiced safer sex vigilantly. This was a very crucial finding, as gaining insight into the cause and nature of HIV-1 resistance displayed by these Kenyan sex workers could serve as a stepping stone into the future development of an effective vaccine against HIV.

What leads to immunity in the Kenyan sex workers?

These Kenyan sex workers have a quiescent immune system; they produce less activated T-cells (cells that produce antibodies to fight against HIV antigens) and less cytokines (group of proteins that interact with cells of the immune system and regulate the body's response to disease and infection). This leads to a suppressed immune system. Given the fact that HIV requires a healthy and active immune system to infect the host cells, the retrovirus fails to flourish, reproduce and replicate in an inactive immune system.

Safety measures suggested by the expert

Dr. Plummer suggests mandatory safer sex education at the school and community level, and following HIV prevention strategies. Also, keeping oneself updated with current world health policies and procedures are the key factors that will help reduce the HIV epidemic on a greater scale.

Obstacles along the way - How best to coordinate science and policy

The main hurdle preventing the implementation of key policy initiatives to address the HIV pandemic is the slow rate at which it takes scientific data regarding the spread of the virus to be accepted by mainstream society and integrated into the existing knowledge base. For instance, it took 2 years for the general public to accept that women could become infected with HIV through vaginal intercourse, and 19 years to gain mainstream acceptance of the notion that male circumcision reduces HIV transmission risk. Overall, Dr. Plummer really articulated the notion that knowledge translation takes time and people are naturally sceptical of new scientific developments. Poor understanding of science and issues by leaders due to political, scientific and public health issues are other contributing factors.

Why was Dr. Plummer interested in HIV research in Africa?

Africa is the most affected nation in the world with HIV/AIDS. Estimates show that 22.5 million people are still living with HIV across the continent - two thirds of the global total. Therefore, increasing death rates automatically become a huge concern, and is what primarily compelled Dr. Plummer to carry out his work in Africa. In the long run, he continues to conduct research in Africa with the hopes of understanding and one day halting the pandemic, which will contribute to the welfare of our society as a whole.

A final key message from the expert

For the future of HIV research, he states, “Keep doing the research and one day we shall find the solution”.

Resources:

1. http://www.cestmajournee.gc.ca/itsmyday/inside/profiles/frankplummer.asp
2. http://www.science.ca/scientists/scientistprofile.php?pID=402
3. http://www.chrcrm.org/en/future-health/public-health-researcher-extraordinaire-meet-dr-frank-plummer
4. http://www.mrsi.ca/plummerlab.htm
5. http://www.avert.org/hiv-aids-africa.htm
6. http://www.catie.ca/eng/Home.shtml
7. http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/

This article was written by Shweta Sah, an AIDS Calgary Awareness Association (ACAA) volunteer blog writer. Shweta is a 1st year M.Sc. Medicine student in the University of Calgary. This is Shweta’s second blog article for ACAA, click here to view her previous article Ground Breaking Research at University of Calgary. This blog was originally posted on The A Work on August 18, 2011 at http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/

Sex trade in the mainstream – not as clear as it may look

2011-08-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

It's easy to define sex trade on the street. People seem often too eager to point out the girl standing on the corner of a street dressed in a mini skirt and high heels and say, "there it is! She's the one, the prostitute. And there’s her pimp!" Usually a man that collects the money she makes for trading a sexual experience for cash. Or maybe you see a young guy on the corner scantily clad and think the same thing?

Okay, do we all agree now that a prostitute is our label for a person selling sex for a price? Can you also agree that a pimp is a person who collects this money? It seems fairly cut and dry, and easy to be honest, with these as answers.

I'd like to challenge your thinking now. Perhaps ruffle some feathers along the way too. It's not my intention to hurt anyone, far from it. I just want to help us keep it real folks, and call a spade a spade.

Does sex trade work occur on the job you work at? Are you a part of it? Could you admit it if you were? Would you? What parts have you played in it? Pimp? Prostitute? Recruiter? Body guard? Something else?

I will be honest with you and admit that at one time or another I have been party to all of the above in some way, shape or form.

It's not as easy to realize sex trade work in main stream society, but it's there folks, and it goes on every day, without a track or a massage parlor.

There's the corporate sex trade, or white collar. In some companies, it's really easy to see it. Someone screws their way up the corporate ladder. Other staff members may resent it. They know they are doing a job to get paid, and doing it well, but they never get the promotions or bonuses. The sex worker gets them instead. She or he does the sex work for the price of a promotion or bonuses.

Then there's blue collar sex trade, and I've seen a lot of it in bars and restaurants. The bikini waitress is a sex trade worker. She serves her customers half naked, but she gets the same wage as a clothed waitress. Maybe you think she’s sold her selfworth from the start? Does she realize it though? I doubt it, not consciously anyway.

Then there's the belly dancer. A very sexual act for money it may seem. She works in restaurants and bars, and gets paid cash. Not much different from a strip tease, only she keeps on a little more clothing. Still, it is what it is folks. A sexual act for a price. Sex trade.

Then there's the "sugar coated" sex trade work. I am presently working in an establishment where the manager is having sex with the owner (a married man with kids). His wife doesn't know it though. The manager even goes on vacation with his wife and kids. I guess that's her payment, or price. What other profits she gets form it I don't know.

Well, this sex trade in society does happen a lot. I see it often. Does it happen at your place of employment? Does it matter to you?

- Lady Love

(This article was written by a Shift Engagement Project volunteer. To learn more about the Shift Engagement Project, drop us a line at 403.237.8171 or email info@shiftcalgary.org

You can also find more information on the project in our April 2011 submission here: http://shiftcalgary.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-shift-engagement-project.html)

Say yes to harm reduction - An editorial response to the Calgary Sun

2011-08-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, August 3rd the Calgary Sun posted an article addressing Alberta Health Services' harm reduction programs in Calgary. As a supporter of harm reduction, we at AIDS Calgary Awareness Association felt it necessary to defend harm reduction principles and have created an editorial response to their recent article. We have also posted the Calgary Sun’s article below our response.

Letter to the Editor: Calgary Sun

Re: Thinking a helping hand will get users to drop the rock is ‘nonsense’, August 3, 2011

The effectiveness and the intention behind harm reduction is an extremely misunderstood, stigmatized and often misconstrued ideal. However, there is a mountain of evidence which supports that harm reduction practices have greatly reduced the spread of infections, saves lives and is ultimately far more cost effective than providing treatment through our national health care.

The fundamental idea behind harm reduction is not the intention to enable drug users to further their addictions, but instead, to reduce the transmission of blood borne pathogens such as Hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV.

A recent example of the effectiveness of harm reduction practices is Vancouver’s safe injection site InSite. InSite uses a health focused approach to providing injection drug users a safe environment to inject drugs while providing access to health care services. By providing access to health care and treatment services through harm reduction programing, studies have shown this can actually encourage reducing drug use and/or instigate quitting. Through the InSight website there are numerous scientific studies available which support this and other harm reduction findings.

Overall, harm reduction is a way to work with people who use drugs and has shown to reduce the negative effects of drug use. We have to recognize that abstinence and quitting are not always options for some individuals. Providing these individuals with items like needles, crack pipes and condoms only protect them and others from contracting or transmitting HIV/HCV; a much smaller price to pay than taxing our already over saturated health care system.

- AIDS Calgary Awareness Association

This blog was originally posted August 4, 2011 on AIDS Calgary's The A Word http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/

Thinking a helping hand will get users to drop the rock is ‘nonsense’, August 3, 2011

Nadia Moharib Calgary Sun

"Whether it’s needles, condoms or crack pipes, officials doling out tools of the trade is tantamount to giving up on those battling addictions.

Unless the effort goes beyond simply enabling, it risks being a short-term, simplistic and flawed solution in lieu of one which works.

Retired Calgary police drug expert Pat Tetley says giving crack pipes to addicts is “an admission we have failed in harm reduction and perpetrating the offence.”

It is, he says, “nonsense.”

Alberta Health officials disagree and have, thousands of times, demonstrated that position by distributing free pipes quietly in recent years.

They insist the so-called harm-reduction tactic doesn’t simply stop when one is in hand but is an olive branch to ideally lead an addict to help in kicking the habit.

They can’t scientifically measure the program’s success but are certain it works.

Perhaps they don’t have empirical evidence because it doesn’t work.

The program is not unlike needle parks which, albeit well-intentioned, simply ghettoize addicts.

Rather than putting them on a solid path to recovery, it allows them to wallow and waste away quietly, far from a sober society not wanting to see the ugliness of an addiction left to fester.

They might as well load the pipes with crack, too.

‘MJ’ MacLeod, a Calgary psychologist, was speechless when asked to weigh in on the program she was shocked to learn exists.

“You’re not serious?” she asked.

She says harm reduction can be beneficial in some scenarios, but runs the risk of endorsing drug use — “on some level, making it OK.”

Backing the concept of reaching out to addicts, she doubts a viable plan would include pushing pipes.

“Giving hope there is help is a great idea, but going to the extent of handing out crack pipes — I don’t think so,” she says.

Neal Berger, Cedars at Cobblie Hill’s executive director, says the program is nothing more than “palliative care,” for addicts in need of cures.

It is “exceptionally naive,” to think a viable escape plan includes a clean pipe and short-term support, he says.

Rather than smoke-and-mirror solutions, he says, they need residential treatment and years of support.

“To suggest this is any part of a treatment continuum is absurd,” he says from the B.C.-based addictions treatment centre frequented by Calgarians who can afford the out-of-pocket cost.

“It will likely make it worse, not better. The reality is, it gives further licence to it. I would not want to be the person who provided the pipe which results in someone doing brain damage.”

Tetley, a drug expert for 15 years with city police, is disgusted by the initiative.

While there are several viable ways to beat crack addictions — like intensive treatment, jail, police efforts to dry up the market and death — none include passing out pipes, he says.

“It’s just ridiculous, it’s not even putting a Band-Aid on Niagara Falls,” he says.

“Passing out a crack cocaine pipe to a crack user is like passing a joint around.”

While Calgary clinical psychologist Glen Edwards concedes the pipes might mitigate some associated health concerns, he worries it might stop short of education and support people need to successfully fight addictions.

“If it’s the only thing we do it’s only harm reduction, not helping them with their illness,” he says. “Harm reduction doesn’t treat addiction, it reduces harm only.”

Police association president John Dooks scoffs at the idea fearing it pitches addicts deeper into the drug world, many relying on crime to feed an addiction.

“Are we not enabling addicts and worse yet, making it easier for traffickers to market their drugs?” he asks.

Over the years addicts who languished on long wait lists have complained about how tough it is to get meaningful help for addictions in this city.

Health officials would do better to focus on real solutions rather than the pipe-dream that free drug paraphernalia is a good plan.

The bottom line is, handing out pipes means promoting the use of crack cocaine to the very people trying to escape its clutches — something health officials should put in their figurative pipe …and smoke

Shift in Motion!

2011-08-04T14:42:00.001-07:00

There is a lot of movement happening here at Shift! We are excited to announce that August will bring many new and exciting changes!

First and foremost, we have moved! We are now located upstairs to our previous space with our own drop in and meeting space! This is to provide a place for the Shift program. Our new space is a place where clients can drop in for snacks & coffee, meet with the Shift staff, gather for a workshop or simply relax. The computer, laundry, complementary therapies and other downstairs services will still be open to Shift clients as well. Stop by to check it out!

Secondly, Shift will begin to be open late on Thursday nights until 8:30pm. This is to ensure that we are accessible to those people who might not be available during daytime office hours. During our new later hours we will have our regular phone, appointment and drop in services available. We will also hold occasional meetings and events. Evening hours will begin today, Thursday, August 4th.

Thirdly, a Shift calendar has been developed! This is a monthly calendar that outlines the programs and services Shift offers and highlights upcoming events for that month. People can pick up a hard copy from the Shift office, or if requested we will email you a copy. This calendar will be available for the month of August.

Lastly, Shift has resumed its “walking outreach”. This is when Shift staff head out to the strolls to give water, snacks, safer sex supplies, Shift material and other essentials to working individuals. Shift will head out weekly one evening a week.

If you are interested in connecting with Shift and receiving those outreach supplies, or have any other questions or comments, please feel free to connect with us!

Email: info@shiftcalgary.org
Phone: 403.237.8171

The low down on rapid testing

2011-07-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

What if getting tested for HIV was just as easy as going to the bank? What if it was actually more convenient than renewing your driver’s license? Do you think that you would be more likely to get tested? Rapid testing is suggesting exactly that, a way to make testing for HIV less invasive and less expensive, in hopes of encouraging the act of getting tested.

The testing process

Traditional preliminary HIV tests have used an antibody detection method; they test for antibodies to HIV, not the virus itself. Currently, ELISA is a widespread and often commonly used test. It is inexpensive and highly accurate, but positive results must be confirmed by another process which is called Western blotting(2). The combined accuracy of the ELISA and Western Blot tests is greater than 99%(2). However, the combination of these tests can be expensive, and it may take weeks before an individual is able to obtain their results.

Rapid testing

In recent years the introduction of rapid testing has offered solutions to these problems and other advantages. For example like the ELISA test, a rapid test detect the presence of HIV antibodies, and they too must be treated as a preliminary (positive results need to be confirmed by a Western Blot). But unlike ELISAs, rapid tests are… rapid. People can obtain their results in as little as 20 minutes (2). In fact, the test itself only takes 60 seconds – the remaining 19 plus minutes are invested in pre- and post-test counseling. This means that anyone can go into a clinic and test for HIV without the hassle of having to return weeks later (without rapid testing, results must be determined in a lab away from the point of care).

Now you might be questioning my choice of words, namely “hassle.” Whether the results are positive or negative and regardless of the type of test, you would think that a person getting tested would still want to know their test results. Surprisingly, the Director of the Southern Alberta Clinic in Calgary, Dr. John Gill, said in December 2010 that nearly one third of all people who go in to get tested for HIV never return to receive their results (3)! Sometimes the weeks of waiting can take their toll. With rapid testing, the results are instantaneous, which may alleviate the anxieties around a lengthy wait.

Accessibility

As rapid tests don’t require off site labs, they are much more accessible to less developed countries and higher risk areas of the world. Rapid tests will hopefully make HIV testing more accessible to the developed world too.

With tests like OraQuick, clinics in the United States can test for the HIV virus without even drawing blood, it uses patient saliva and again results are obtained in 20 minutes. This is because the test (like other rapid tests, as mentioned) detects HIV antibodies, which are detectable in saliva.. The United States has also approved a rapid test, called Home Access Express HIV-1, for personal, at home use(2). This test, although extremely accessible, is not-so-rapid as the test sample needs to be mailed to a lab.

Although the sky seems to be the limit when it comes to rapid testing, the first order of contention must be: What is available to us in Canada, and what is the future of rapid testing here?

The Medical Devices Bureau of Health Canada first approved the INSTI HIV rapid test back in 2005(1). In March 2011, researchers at the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health in Edmonton have reported the results of comparative tests between the performance of INSTI HIV and classic HIV test methods. They found that INSTI HIV is just as sensitive as the standard preliminary methods(4).

In other words, the results provided by INSTI HIV rapid tests are just as accurate in detecting HIV anitbodies as the standard tests. In spite of these findings… and further in spite of the fact that they were determined in Alberta, rapid tests are still to this day not available to the general public except in specifically predetermined situations. Officials at Alberta Health Services claim that more confidence in rapid test results needs to be established before options will be made available to Albertans(3).

I think it’s safe to say there is a bright and hopeful future in rapid HIV testing. We can only hope that Alberta is able to realize that future sooner than later. This year ACAA will be holding a conference which will include a presentation by Dr. Ameeta Singh about recent findings on rapid HIV and Syphilis testing in Alberta. For more information or to register for ACAA’s conference click here. To read ACAA’s position statement on rapid testing click here.

Sources:

1. 2007, Canadian AIDS Society,
http://www.cdnaids.ca/web/backgrnd.nsf/pages/cas-gen-0142

2. 2009, THE BODY – The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource, http://www.thebody.com/content/art2497.html#rapid

3. December 1 2010, CBC News, Rapid HIV test urged for Alberta, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2010/12/01/calgary-alberta-aids-hiv-test-rapid.html

4. March 2011, J Virol Methods, 172(1-2):66 – 71, Lee BE, Plitt S, Preiksaitis JK, Singh AE, Rapid HIV tests in acute care settings in an area of low HIV prevalence in Canada, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21192977

This post was written by Cory Waller an AIDS Calgary Awareness Association volunteer blog writers. Cory has a B.Sc in Biochemistry. This blog was originally posted in May 13, 2011 on AIDS Calgary's The A Word

A Level of Choice

2011-07-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

Many people are curious about the level of choice that individuals who are involved in sex work might have. When you say the term “sex worker”, some people imagine a person who is being used and violated against their will, whereas others might think of individuals who are in control of their bodies and the work they do. To clarify the difference in both of these viewpoints, here is a breakdown of what the difference is between exploitation verses self- determination in sex work.

Exploitation:
A person who is involved in sex work under the age of 18 is always considered exploitation. In Alberta, any person who is under the age of 18 is not considered willfully involved in sex work or prostitution.
• A person who is 18 years and over who experience any of the following;
- External forces dictate their activities: poverty, homelessness, addiction
- Coerced or forced to provide sexual favors through guilt, threats, blackmail etc.
- Lured or tricked into the sex work industry
- Human trafficking

Self-Determination:
• A mentally competent consenting adult
• An individual who identifies that sex work is something they chose without coercion
• An individual who is in charge of his or her earnings, the services they provide, the hours and location in which he or she works and the ability to screen his/her dates
• An individual who recognizes that sex work is an occupation in its own right and has made the choice to earn their livelihood this way.

Having said all that, not every person involved in sex work is either completely exploited or has complete self-determination. This is a continuum in which there may be some gray area in between. Also, a person may change or move on this continuum as his or her life circumstances change. Another variable to consider when referring to the continuum is a sex worker may have a different level of choice with different dates depending on the circumstance and relationship surrounding the date.

The difference between exploitation and self-determination can be confusing, but it is crucial to recognize how the sex worker defines his or her own level of choice. Assuming everyone involved in sex work is exploited means that we make judgments about sex workers, their choices and their rights. It is equally important to acknowledge that there is exploitation in the sex industry and work to support those who might be experiencing it.

Making it Safer: ACAA's Editorial Response in the Calgary Herald

2011-07-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

Making it Safer: ACAA's Editorial Response in the Calgary Herald

On June 25th AIDS Calgary responded to an editorial article published in the Calgary Herald regarding the Decriminalization of Prostitution appeal, which was at the time under way in Ottawa. Click here to read the article we had responded to.

Re: "Liberalized laws make prostitution more dangerous," Licia Corbella, Opinion, June 16.

(http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Liberalized+laws+make+prostitution+more+dangerous/4954920/story.html)

There were some discrepancies in Licia Corbella's column which claimed the "liberalization" of prostitution would increase risks attached to the profession. All Canadians are afforded the right to work in a safe environment with our health and well-being protected. Our human rights allow us to be treated and protected equally.

Due to the criminalization of prostitution under section 210-213 of the Criminal Code, sex workers are not afforded these same rights.

Corbella states that striking down the laws will result in "legalized pimping, bawdy houses and communicating for the purposes of prostitution," which is incorrect. The challenge before the courts is looking into removing certain provisions that hinder a sex worker's right to work safely.

Although the selling of sex in Canada is legal, sex workers are unable to work in their own homes, properly screen their clients, work in collaboration, or hire a driver, receptionist or bodyguard.

The decriminalization of sex work will not eliminate all the dangers, but will ensure that sex workers can take necessary security precautions, set their own terms for their working conditions, and discuss their experiences without fear of persecution.

With the laws as they are now, wilful sex workers will continue to hide under the radar, alongside those who are exploited, and the transparencies of trafficking remain underground

This blog was originally posted in June 30, 2011 on AIDS Calgary's The A Word

Safer Drug Consumption

2011-06-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

Since it opened its safe and non-judgmental arms to intravenous drug users in 2003, an air of controversy continues to cloud Vancouver’s Insite facility and programs like it.

Boasting a status of being the first (and only) in North America, Insite describes itself as a health-focused place where individuals can safely inject drugs under the supervision of health care professionals in an effort to avoid death by overdose and the spread of infections, like HIV.

Insite operates under a harm-reduction model with a real-world view on abstinence. Insite is not unlike drug consumption rooms that operate around the world. Although the concept of safe injection and facilities like Insite have been a topic of heated debate in Canada recently, supervised injection sites have been around since the 1970s.

Europe is the front-runner when it comes to utilizing safe injection sites, with four countries currently allowing for such facilities. Outside of those European countries and Canada, Australia is the only other country that provides medically supervised injection sites.

The Netherlands
22 official drug consumption facilities are scattered throughout The Netherlands. Initial sites were established in the 1970s, when drug-use was no longer looked at as deviant, but became accepted as a personal lifestyle. Relaxed laws on drug possession allowed for facilities to open up earlier than most other countries. Facilities often incorporate both smoking and injecting rooms. They also offer services that include: drug-free treatment, medical care, counseling, food, laundry, and showers.

Switzerland
Switzerland’s first supervised injection centre was opened in 1986 when health workers noticed the congregation of injection drug users in public spaces. With 12 Swiss centres now in use, the facilities usually provide a sterile environment and access to medical care and counseling for individuals as well as needles, syringes, spoons, etc. Usually open for seven hours a day, five or six days a week, clients must be at least 16 years old and have a history of injecting before they are allowed to use the centre.

Germany
In 1994 Germany opened its first injecting centre, and currently operates 25 consumption facilities. Employees are mostly social workers, nurses, and medical officers. Clients must be at least 18 years old and adhere to the rules, which include: no violence, no drug-dealing, no sharing of drugs, no injecting of others, no staff assisted injecting, and a 30-minute time limit.

Spain
The most recent European country to incorporate supervised injecting rooms, Spain opened the doors to its first facility in 2000. Spain is home to the only injection facility that is open 24 hours a day.

Although research is limited, evidence suggests the benefits of safe injection sites lie in four important areas: reduced public nuisance, improved access and uptake of health and other welfare services, reduced opioid related overdose risk, and reduced risk of blood-borne virus transmission.

Vancouver’s Insite Program statistics reveal that, on average, the facility sees 491 safe injections daily. The program has had zero overdose fatalities, 2,492 clinical treatment interventions, and 411 admissions to Onsite detoxification. 6,242 referrals were given through Insite to other health and social service facilities, most of which were for detox and addiction treatment.

Resources:
1. Dolan K, Kimber J, Fry C, Fitzgerald J, McDonald D, Trautman F. Harm Reduction Digest 10: Drug consumption facilities in Europe and the establishment of supervised injecting centres in Australia. Drug and Alcohol Review (2000) 19, 337-346
2. Hedrich D. European report on drug consumption rooms. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (Feb. 2004) p. 15-23.
3. Vancouver Insite Program, www.supervisedinjection.vch.ca/

This article was submitted by Jess Howat. Jess was a practicum student at AIDS Calgary in March. She is currently working towards a Communication Studies degree between SAIT and the University of Calgary. This blog was originally posted in June 2010 on AIDS Calgary's The A Word http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/

AIDS Calgary Endorses Efforts to Decriminalize Prostitution

2011-06-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

All Canadians are afforded the right to work in a safe environment with our general health and well-being protected by various governmental and social organizations. Our human rights as Canadians allow us to be treated equally and provide us with the opportunity to be protected equally. Unfortunately, due to the criminalization of prostitution under sections 210-213 of The Criminal Code of Canada, sex workers are not afforded these same rights. Their basic human rights are violated by the institution of these laws and therefore sex workers’ health and safety suffer.
Criminalization of Prostitution: Current Canadian Law

Section 210 – Prohibits anyone from working in and/or owning a “Bawdy House”, otherwise known as a Brothel. Under Criminal Code, a Bawdy House can constitute any place a person occupies for the purpose of prostitution. This includes sex worker and client houses, hotels, a car, and/or massage and body rub parlors.

Section 211 – It is illegal for a person to direct or take some one to a Bawdy House. This includes taxi drivers, hotel concierge and a chauffer.

Section 212 – Outlaws living on the avails of prostitution this includes family members or any person’s who would be supported by a sex worker. This law also prohibits procuring prostitution. More specifically, procuring prostitution means it is illegal to persuade some one into engaging in prostitution or making referrals to a sex worker.

Section 213 – Prohibits communication for the purpose of prostitution in public. This means it is illegal to negotiate services with a sex worker or for a sex worker to discuss services in a public place, which includes public phones and cell phones. It is also illegal to stop vehicles or people on the street for prostitution.

Breaking these laws can vary in terms of punishment; some include fines or jail time.

Arguments in favor of Criminalization

Deterrence
Many criminalization advocates believe it will deter those considering sex work as a possible career, and hinder potential clients. Those who agree with this argument assume that criminalization will deter veteran sex workers from continuing to engage in sex work.

Exploitation and Human Trafficking
Many criminalization advocates feel that sex work is not a chosen profession and that sex workers are persuaded or forced into it. Those who agree with this argument believe that criminalization will eliminate human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Public Health Concern
Many criminalization advocates believe that sex worker’s do not practice safer sex and are responsible for high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). Those who agree with this argument believe that if prostitution is criminalized there will be a decrease in STI rates.

Moral Argument
Many criminalization advocates believe that sex work is morally wrong and therefore should be against the law. Those who agree with this argument believe that if we continue to criminalize prostitution that people will stop engaging in sex work and we will abolish sex work from our society.

Arguments in favor of Decriminalization

Deterrence
It is clear that although our Criminal Code prohibits sex work, still people engage in sex acts for money both as clients and as sex workers. The criminalization of prostitution often leads sex workers to be continuously processed through the legal system, sometimes resulting in their own incarceration and contributing to mounting legal fees. In actuality criminalization keeps people involved in the sex trade creating a cycle where often the only option to repay fines is to return to sex work.

Exploitation and Human Trafficking
Sex work and human trafficking are often assumed to be the same thing; assuming that becoming a sex worker is not a choice. Sex workers enter into this line of work for a variety of social and economic reasons. Decriminalizing prostitution would help create transparencies between who is a willful sex worker and who is not, and resources spent on prosecuting consenting adults involved in sex work could be better used to prosecute abuses and trafficking. There are already laws in place used to prosecute trafficking and other offences related to coercion and confinement, prostitution laws are not needed in these cases.

Public Health Concerns
There are many jobs that put their employees’ and patrons’ health at risk. Most of these careers offer protection and education against the risks of their profession. Sex workers are disallowed these same rights and decriminalization could instigate the creation of a standardized health care plan, as well as standardized harm reduction education. Also, there is always a risk of STI or HIV transmission when having unprotected sex, however, unprotected sex and infection transmission isn’t a direct result of paying for sex with money. By decriminalizing prostitution we may open the door to testing and health care that can be accessed by sex workers without fear of discrimination, judgment and criminalization. Sex workers will feel more empowered to protect themselves; they will have a voice and will be able to negotiate safer sex with their dates.

Stigma and Discrimination
Most sex workers want to have the ability to function in society without judgment or social barriers. The criminalization of prostitution generalizes that all sex workers are criminals and should be pushed to edges of our society. This legal barrier prevents sex workers the opportunity to speak openly about their profession only to perpetuate stereotypes and stigma. The law suggests that sex workers are second-class citizens, which is a violation of their human rights. We must remember that sex workers are our daughters, sons, mothers, fathers and brothers and they are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect.

Increased Harm
The criminal code contributes to the segregation of sex workers and society. As it is illegal for them to work in groups or public areas, sex workers find themselves in increasingly vulnerable situations and at risk to experience violence. When sex workers are forced to work in isolated areas for fear of criminalization they are more likely to experience violence because they do not have the time to screen dates or negotiate safer sex. Criminalization also creates a divide between sex workers and the police, and promotes the attitude that sex workers deserve whatever abuse they incur as they too are criminals. This means that many of the bad dates that sex workers experience go unreported for fear that they themselves will be criminalized during the reporting.

Legal Contradictions
Although prostitution is legal in Canada the ambiguity of the laws create confusion and violates sex worker’s human rights. For example, it is legal to have sex on camera and get paid for the purpose of adult films, be an exotic dancer and work in an erotic massage parlor. The definition of sex worker then becomes blurred as in most of these professions the exchange of a sexual encounter for money is taking place. These laws are hierocracy and as Canadians we have a vested interest in ensuring our laws are not hypocritical.

Moral Argument
Regardless of whether or not sex work is immoral, sex workers are human beings who deserve the right to health and safety. We have a right to protect people and all individuals regardless of their job deserve the right to safety and to work free of violence. There are many things that people in our society believe are immoral and that we do not criminalize i.e. suicide attempts, infidelity, adult pornography, and homosexuality.

Conclusion
Criminalization of prostitution limits sex workers’ ability to take necessary security precautions by forcing them to work alone and in isolated areas. The fear of criminal charges prevents sex workers from properly screening dates, communicating to fellow sex workers information about dangerous clients or negotiating safer sex. These factors contribute to the cycle of sex workers’ increased vulnerability to health risks and experiencing violence.
Stigma and prejudice around sex work are also magnified by its criminalization. If these Canadian citizens are entitled to the same health, safety and tax benefits as other professions it would alleviate the idea that sex workers are lesser citizens. Their rights would become par to the rights of other Canadians.
AIDS Calgary endorses efforts to decriminalize prostitution in Canada for those adult individuals who engage in sex work.

These considerations are compiled from the following sources:

1. FIRST (www.firstadvocates.org). Out of the Shadows: Why Canada Must Decriminalize Consensual, Adult Sex Work. September 2010.
2. John Lowman’s Prostitution Research Page (http://mypage.uniserve.ca/~lowman/). Deadly Inertia: A History of Constitutional Challenges to Canada’s Criminal Code Sections on Prostitution. October 2009.
3. Pivot Legal Society (www.pivotlegal.org). Beyond Decriminalization: Sex Work, Human Rights and a New Framework for Law Reform. June 2006.
4. Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (http://aidslaw.ca). Decriminalization of Prostitution to Reduce Sex Workers’ Vulnerability to HIV. September 2006.

What’s in a Name?

2011-06-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

There are many people who involve themselves in sex work in a variety of ways: dancing, working on the street, independent escort, webcam, or massage parlor to name a few. The term “sex worker” is commonly used to refer to all types of work an industry that provides sexual services. Sex worker is the most universally used and respected term in the sex work industry as it puts the focus on the work. Sex work is a job that takes skill, time, commitment, and, most importantly, is remunerated by payment.

The term prostitute is also regularly used. Prostitute, however, is frequently used in the context of the prostitution laws. This brings up the incorrect association that a prostitute is someone who breaks the law or is engaging in criminal activity. Due to this long association with defying the law, the word prostitute is now also associated with negative stigma and stereotypes that can be quite incorrect. As a result, many sex worker advocates and supporters stay away from using the term prostitute.

Some folks will use the word sex trade worker, and certainly that is accurate on some levels. A trade is, by definition, is an exchange of money or goods. A trade is also a specific market or business. However, some people argue that there are trades, such as the construction field, that hold legitimate status that may include special training and certification which are not available in sex work. The argument against the use of the title “sex trade worker”, is that until sex work gains a legitimate status, it should not be called a trade.

Still there are others out there that don’t use language like sex work, prostitution or sex trade at all, but speak only about sexual exploitation as a blanket term for all people involved in sex work. Sexual exploitation does exist within the sex industry; however it is not an accurate portrayal of all sex workers. Many sex workers have chosen to enter sex work and have choice and control over their occupation, the services they provide, their payment, work environment and dates. These sex workers have self-determination and do not consider themselves exploited.

There are of course, many other words that sex workers can and are called. Rude, impolite and degrading names that won’t be posted here. Take a moment to think of them, and when you do, ask yourself what those words reveal about how our society views sex workers? These words perpetrate stigma and discrimination. This brings up the most important name a sex worker has:his or her own personal name. There is a person behind the profession, a person with his or her own identity and value. As humans, sex workers deserve the same respect, safety and rights as any other person in any other profession. So whatever name or label you use to describe someone involved in the sex industry, remember; what’s in a name? A person.

Intro to Harm Reduction

2011-06-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

It seems today that outreach programs go hand in hand with the principles of harm reduction. Broadly speaking, harm reduction involves preventative practices to reduce the chance of harmful consequences resulting from high risk activities. Harm reduction is about meeting the needs of those it is trying to reach out to.

The World Health Organization strongly endorses harm reduction as an evidence-based approach to HIV prevention, and in the treatment and care of drug users. Safe injection sites for intravenous drug users are an example of harm reduction in action and clearly illustrate its main goal: it is not exclusively the elimination of risky behaviors, but rather reducing the risks and harms associated with such behaviors.

One could argue that harm reduction is only a band-aid solution and that the only way to address the social and personal costs of risky behaviors is to make abstinence the goal. In an ideal world, this certainly makes sense, however real life experience with abstinence programs has shown us that abstinence goals are often not realistic. On the other hand, studies have clearly shown that harm reduction programs have greatly reduced HIV transmission and death from overdoses. 1, 2

Since its inception, harm reduction has met with resistance. For many harm reduction opponents the idea of, say, facilitating drug use is illogical. These opponents know that what drug addicts need is to just stop using. The difference found in harm reduction lies in providing people with services they can, and will, access rather than what we think they need.

Harm reduction continues to be a controversial topic. What do you think? Is there a place for harm reduction in our service approaches? What do you see as the pros and cons?

Harm reduction programs available at AIDS Calgary:
1. AIDS Calgary provides safer sex supplies, such as condoms and lube, that help reduce the harm associated with sexual activity and to reduce the spread of HIV and other STI’s.
2. AIDS Calgary provides needle exchange equipment and safer inhalation equipment through our partnership with Safeworks.
3. AIDS Calgary’s street outreach connects with people where they are at.
4. AIDS Calgary counseling is non-judgmental and harm reduction based.
5. AIDS Calgary’s Shift program works from a harm reduction philosophy to provide support, outreach, education, advocacy, referrals, and counseling to individuals involved in, or those who have been involved in, the sex trade.

References:
1. Amundsen EJ. Measuring effectiveness of needle and syringe exchange programmes for prevention of HIV among injecting drug users. Addiction 2006;101:911-2.
2. Langendam MW, van Brussel GH, Coutinho RA, van Ameijden EJ. The impact of harm-reduction-based methadone treatment on mortality among heroin users. Am J Public Health 2001;91:774-80.

This article was submitted by guest blogger, Anna Lam . This blog was originally posted in February 2010 on AIDS Calgary's The A Word http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/

The History of the Condom

2011-05-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

I’ve been watching the TV series Rome recently and all I can say is, “Wow, did they ever like to fuck!” With every second scene featuring a long-haired beauty vigorously riding a well-muscled warrior, I often catch myself wondering how they managed to keep themselves safe from sexually transmitted infections. I mean, they didn’t have condoms back then did they?

Step 1: Foreplay

The use of condoms can be traced back as far as 1,000 B.C. when the Egyptians tested the waters using linen sheaths or oiled silk paper as an early form of condoms.

Sometime between 100- 200 A.D. the earliest visual evidence of condom use appeared. Cave paintings found in France suggest the use of condoms. There is also some evidence condoms were used by our frisky friends in the Roman Empire.

Step 2: Slide it on

In the 1500s, a syphilis epidemic led Gabrielle Fallopius to claim invention of a linen-sheath condom. Originally used to protect men against syphilis, it wasn’t initially realized that it could also prevent pregnancy.

It is speculated that in the 1700s the word ‘condom’ was christened when King Charles II’s doctor, whose name was allegedly Condom, invented the handy device to help the king from accidently planting his seed every which way. However, it’s more likely that it comes from the Latin word for ‘receptacle.’

During Casanova’s reign over romance, people were beginning to ‘slide them on’ as condoms (or ‘English riding coats’ as Casanova called them) were traded and advertised. The use of animal intestines to make condoms began in this period.

Step 3: Lubricate

Things really started to get slick in the 1800s with a revolution in the manufacture of condoms in Europe and the United States. The discovery of vulcanized rubber allowed for faster and cheaper rubber condom production.

‘Dr. Power’s French Preventatives’ was the first printed ad for condoms, published in The New York Times in 1861. Less then a decade later the Cornstock Law made any advertising or mail order of birth control illegal.

Step 4: Stick it in

The 1900s gave way to the thinner latex condom, product expansion, and the very first lubricated condom in 1957, created by Durex.

Along with the sexual revolution of the 60s came the invention of the pill and other birth control methods. At this time condoms started to lose their appeal, contributing to the rise of sexually transmitted infections amongst the free-lovers of the time.

With HIV’s arrival on the scene in the 80s, condom-use regained some swagger, as did condom advocacy, advertisement and sales. The little latex packages were readily available in pubs, bars, grocery stores, and supermarkets – pretty much anywhere you might be reminded of that tingling urge.

The female condom and polyurethane male condom were made available in the early 90s.

Step 5: Spread the love

The availability and variety of condoms today is astounding. Technological advances allow for a more natural sensation with thinner condoms. Condom varieties like ribbed, studded and flavored can actually enhance sex lives.

I know that I, for one, would take a cherry-flavored warming-sensation condom that’s going to tickle me in all the right spots over a pig intestine or strip of leather any day…

So strap on your favorite ‘English Riding Coat’ and feel free to ride. Condoms have you covered!

This article was submitted by Jess Howat. Jess was a practicum student at AIDS Calgary in March. She is currently working towards a Communication Studies degree between SAIT and the University of Calgary.

This blog was originally posted in June 2010 on AIDS Calgary's The A Word http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/

Taking Care: Your Sexual Health

2011-05-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Whether you are working in the sex trade or not, there are many ways in which you can take care of your sexual health. Anyone can follow these guidelines to ensure their own sexual health safety and the protection of their partner or client’s health. Being informed about your body and your sexuality can lead to a healthier outlook about sex and sexuality. Healthy sexuality also empowers you to take control over your body, as well as the sexual decisions you make. Having the knowledge, understanding, and control over your body can make sex much more enjoyable. Here are some guidelines to get you started:

• Use protection for any sexual activity, including oral sex. There are many types of condoms available, such as regular, female, and flavoured.
• Communicate – Have conversations about taboo subjects, create safe places where people feel comfortable talking about health and sexuality.
• Explore birth control options and choose one that is best suited for you.
• Get tested! Since many STIs have no symptoms, knowing your status is the best way to take control of your sexual health and an important part of taking care of yourself.
• Get treated – If you are diagnosed with an STI that is treatable; follow your doctor’s treatment instructions. This can minimize the risk of passing along an STI to any of your sexual partners.
• Know your limits – Set up a safe partying system with friends, be aware of any situations that might be risky and take precautions. Also know what activities you are willing to do or not do and clearly articulate them.

More sexual health and other related tips…..
Check us out on twitter @shiftcalgary!

2011-05-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

May 4, 2011 - AIDS Calgary Awareness Association (ACAA) would like to formally announce their support of the decriminalization of prostitution. ACAA has recently created a position statement which carefully examines both sides of the decriminalization of prostitution argument including issues such as stigma, public health concerns, deterrence and moral arguments.

ACAA’s Executive Director Simonne LeBlanc has hope that this new policy statement will encourage others to think about valuing all people and broaden conversation of the issue to include males and trans-gendered individuals involved in the sex trade. LeBlanc also states, “We [ACAA] fundamentally believe that those individuals involved in the sex trade who wish to exit should be given every opportunity to do so, and those individuals who choose to stay in the trade should also be allowed the right to do so with their health and safety protected. Our new position statement adopted by our Board of Directors safe guards this belief. We are proud to make our organization’s view points on this issue available to the community.”
ACAA’s recent declaration for the support of the decriminalization of prostitution is also congruent with the beliefs of the Shift program; a program under the ACAA organizational umbrella. Shift is dedicated to providing support, education, outreach and advocacy for those individuals who are currently involved or were previously involved with the sex trade.

This new position statement in support of the decriminalization of prostitution along with ACAA 's position statements on other issues is available online at: http://www.aidscalgary.org/resources/publications.cfm or on Shift's website at http://www.shiftcalgary.org/Page_2.html

NEW! Shift Engagement Project

2011-04-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Shift Calgary is excited to announce the launch of a new program:
The Shift Engagement Project!

Shift Calgary is dedicated to engaging sex worker in a meaningful way. Through SEP, Shift clients can contribute their time, skills and expertise for which they will receive an honorarium. SEP will support the greater involvement of Shift clients in Shift Calgary, offer the opportunity to increase the voice of those involved in sex work, enable Shift clients an opportunity to develop skills and leadership, as well as educate the wider community on issues surrounding sex work. Shift acknowledges that the participation of those directly involved in sex work will help reduce stigma and discrimination associated with sex work, which is a powerful tool for breaking down the barriers of fear and prejudice. At Shift, we are fully committed to training, mentoring and providing capacity building to interested people. We want you to feel engaged in Shift Calgary and have the opportunity to become a leader.

At this time there are four positions available in which registered Shift clients can apply.

* Become a Blog Writer and write an article about personal experiences or current issues related to sex work for the Shift Blog and other agency communications.

* Become a speaker for Shift! Shift 201 Speaker’s Network will provide the opportunity for past or current sex workers to share their story at educational workshops offered by Shift called Shift Perspectives or other events.

* As a Social Event Planner you will be responsible for creating social events that cater to the interest of other Shift clients.

* International Sex Workers’ Rights Day Committee members will be a part of a committee that plans and implements an event for International Sex Workers’ Rights Day, held in the month of March.

We are open to your feedback! If you have any other ideas for the Shift Engagement Project, please contact Catharine van der Linden, Shift Program Coordinator at info@shiftcalgary.org or 403.237.8171

Letter to the Editor

2011-03-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

On March 11, 2011, the Calgary Herald published “Ottawa says it’s not obligated to protect prostitutes”. In response to this article AIDS Calgary Awareness Association submitted a Letter to the Editor of the Herald, which has been published in today’s paper. However, due to space restrictions only a partial version of the letter has been printed. Below is a full version of our rebuttal to this issue.

The federal government has made claims that it is not obligated to protect a section of the population, this is not only frightening but these claims encourage notions of stigma and segregation. This denial of protection from our government is a violation of sex workers basic human rights and instills the idea that because a person is a sex worker, they deserve any mistreatment or abuse they incur in their profession.

As members of the Canadian work force, we are afforded the right to work in a safe environment, with our general health and well-being protected by various governmental and social organizations. True, sex workers enter into their trade with known obstacles and dangers; however, so do many other professionals, including police officers, health care professionals and manual labourers. It is our human right as Canadians which allows us to be treated and protected equally.

Prostitution is legal in Canada, although due to its criminalization under sections 210-213, sex workers are not afforded the same rights to their chosen profession as the rest of the work force. There is also a double standard among the criminalization of sex work, where it is legal to have sex on camera and get paid for the purpose of Adult Films, be an exotic dancer and work in an erotic massage parlor. It is unfair to separate how one part of sex work is more acceptable from the other, which leads to further segregation and stereotypes.

Our government should acknowledge the criminalization of prostitution only encourages violence and abuse towards sex workers by forcing them to work alone and in isolated and dangerous areas. This isolation, and fear of criminal charges, prevents sex workers from properly screening dates, communicating to fellow sex workers information about dangerous clients or negotiating safer sex and prohibits them from accessing proper health education and services.

The most horrific part about Ottawa saying it is not obliged to protect sex workers is that it sends the message that endangering a sex workers safety is acceptable as they are knowingly putting themselves at risk. What about the multiple sex workers who were brutally murdered by Robert Pickton? Should those women’s lives be valued less because of the work that they do?

Shift Social Event

2011-03-10T14:50:00.000-08:00

Join other Shift clients every second Wednesday of the month for coffee, snacks and conversation. This event is an opportunity for interested individuals to build community and develop peer relationships.

Time: 2:00-3:30pm
Where: Calgary Cares Centre 110, 1603 10th Avenue SW

This event is offered to registered clients of the Shift program.

For more information contact our Client Services team at:
(403) 508-2500 or info@shiftcalgary.org

International Sex Workers Rights Day

2011-02-17T18:54:00.000-08:00

March 3rd, 2011 will mark the tenth annual International Sex Workers Rights Day. This event originally began in India when thousands of sex workers gathered at a sex worker festival. At the time, the members of this group wanted people to realize that sex workers in third world countries are no different from ones in first world nations. Sex workers in this group wanted their voices to be heard and their rights to be respected. Since that event, sex worker groups around the world began to mark that day, naming it the International Sex Workers Rights Day. The Shift program understands the importance of sex workers rights, and utilizes a human rights based approach when working with people in the sex trade. When the Shift program first developed in 2007, Shift has annually observed March 3rd as a way to honour the rights of sex workers everywhere.

In preparation for this year’s International Sex Workers Rights Day, Shift has put together a committee comprised of community members and sex workers. The committee’s intent for this year’s event is to bring awareness to community members about the rights of local sex workers. The committee has hired Antyx, (formerly known as All Nations Theatre) to perform short, interactive scenes that will examine the common stereotypes, misconceptions, and human rights violations that sex workers are constantly faced with. The performance will be used as a means to begin a dialogue amongst community members and provide a platform for deeper discussions about this often misconceived topic. The committee hopes that the interactive theatre will raise community awareness, as well as inspire a shift in perception around stigmas attached to sex work.

The event will be held on Friday March 4th from 7pm-9pm at the Eau Clare Market community space-202, 200 Barclay Parade SW
Calgary, AB T2P 4R5.

If you would like more information contact Shift: (403) 237-8171 or info@shiftcalgary.org

Self Care

2011-02-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

Sex work is both physically and emotionally demanding, so it’s no surprise that burnout is a high risk for individuals who work in the sex industry. Taking care of your physical and emotional health is essential in improving the overall quality of your life and there are many ways in which you can increase your self-care strategies.

Ways to promote physical well-being:

• Like any person working with the public, individuals working in the sex trade are in contact with numerous people throughout the day. To avoid getting viruses that may be going around, wash your hands as often as possible. If water is not available, use hand sanitizer. (“Prevention and Rehabilitation”, 2009).
• Get adequate sleep.
• Engage in physical activities that you enjoy, such as taking a walk, riding a bike, or yoga.
• Take breaks throughout your work day and try to reduce the number of hours you work, and if possible, the number of clients you see.
• Ensure you are drinking enough water and staying hydrated while working, always keep a bottle of water with you. Keeping water with you will help you avoid drinking too many sports drinks and sodas which can actually de-hydrate you.
• Make healthy decisions about the food that you consume. As much as possible add a mix of fruits and vegetables, and “meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu” (“Meat and Alternatives”, 2008) to your daily diet. To avoid eating fast food and overly sugary snacks when working, always keep healthy snack foods like granola bars, with you. Eating a nourishing diet is important in maintaining healthy brain functioning, and “helps us make safer, more logical choices” (“Prevention and Rehabilitation”, 2009).
• On days when you are feeling worn-out, suggest sexual activities that may not be as strenuous for you to your clients.
• Get tested regularly for HIV and other STI’s. Getting tested will not only keep you in control of your physical health, but it can also bring you peace of mind.

Ways to promote emotional well-being:

• Maintain a healthy support system.
• Write your emotions and feelings down in a journal. Having an outlet for your emotions is an extremely healing process.
• Find ways to center yourself. Excellent ways to discover your center and relax your mind are through meditation or yoga.
• Have a good laugh. Laughter can do wonders for your spirit!
• Engage in hobbies that are of interest to you, like painting or writing poetry.
• Listen to music that brings you happiness.
• Learn to cook. Cooking can be quite relaxing and is also a great way to maintain a healthy diet.
• Read. Reading can be a great way to escape without actually having to go anywhere.
• Access services. There are agencies that offer free and confidential testing and counseling, along with many other services.

Contact Shift for more information on how and where to obtain these services:
110, 1603 10th Avenue SW
(403) 237-8171
info@shiftclagary.org

References:
Health Canada (2008, January 14). Meat and Alternatives. Retrieved on January 13, 2011 from http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/choose-choix/meat-viande/index-eng.php
Trade Secrets (2009, November 13). Prevention and rehabilitation. Retrieved on January 13, 2011 from http://tradesecretsguide.blogspot.com/search/label/Our%20Bodies

Red Umbrella Day

2010-12-14T14:04:00.000-08:00

December 17th is called Red Umbrella Day: the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers. The red umbrella, adopted in 2002 by Venetian sex workers, for an anti-violence march, symbolizes resistance against the violence, stigma and discrimination that sex workers face worldwide.

The day calls attention to hate crimes, violence and discrimination that sex workers face, and urges the public to respect the basic human rights of sex workers.

The Shift Program, of AIDS Calgary Awareness Association wants to call attention to the frequent violence that sex workers face in Calgary, and the fact that men, women, and trans-gendered people working in the sex trade are experiencing levels of violence that has become normalized. Sex workers are afraid to report the violence they experience for fear of prosecution, discrimination, stigmatization and further mistreatment. Being a sex worker does not remove someone’s right to say NO. Violence is still violence.

Shift provided a lunch & learn opportunity at the Sheriff King Home & Violence Prevention Centre on December 9th, which brought awareness to the Continuum of Sexual Exchange, the Criminalization of Sex Work, the vulnerabilities and risks that sex workers face, and the climate of sex work in Calgary.

Over 30 people attended and interest is being expressed by people looking for ways to commemorate Red Umbrella Day on December 17th. If you would like to show your support “Shift Your Perception” posters and buttons are available.

Pardons

2010-11-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

People involved in the sex industry can be faced with legal issues, and potentially a criminal record, if charged with a crime. Getting a pardon can remove barriers related to employment, education, travel, housing, and volunteer work.

What is a pardon?
A pardon allows people who have criminal offences (which they have addressed and/or completed sentence for), to have those criminal offences kept separate from active criminal files. Pardons are issued by the federal government (National Parole Board), but there are agencies that can help with the process and sometimes with the cost. If you were convicted of a crime, and wish it removed so it cannot be found on a Criminal Record Check, you will need a pardon.

What is a Criminal Record Check?
“A Criminal Record Check is a search that is used to determine whether an individual has a criminal record” (Government of Canada, 2010). The search is performed through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) records repository. A criminal record will not disappear on its own, even if it is a minor offence and several years have passed (Pardons Canada, 2009). Checks can also include local police records.

What are the benefits of a pardon?
A criminal record may negatively affect your chances of getting work, traveling abroad, volunteering, immigrating to another country, or obtaining an education. Many employers and institutions perform a Criminal Record Check before hiring. Obtaining a pardon can prevent future discrimination due to a criminal record.

When am I eligible for a pardon?
You can apply for a pardon once all court demands have been met. An individual is eligible for a pardon after three years for a summary offence, and after five years for an indictable offence. More serious offences can be a ten year wait. It is recommended that you begin the pardon process as soon as possible as it can take up to a year and a half for the process to be completed.

Who can help me with the pardon process?
There are numerous companies and agencies that offer this service. There is a cost associated with obtaining a pardon and each company quotes different rates. If you are experiencing a barrier to the cost of a pardon, you can connect with the Elizabeth Fry Society. They can provide you with information, and may also assist with the cost. In addition, the John Howard Society provides pardon packages and can help with the application process.

Disclaimer
The information provided in this article should not be considered legal advice. We do not guarantee accuracy or completeness of information offered in the referenced web sites. If you require legal advice, please consult a lawyer.

References
Government of Canada. (2010). Criminal record background checks, vulnerable sector and pardons. Retrieved on November 15, 2010 from http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?m=/index&nid=528419

Pardons Canada. (2009). Retrieved on November 1, 2010 from http://www.pardons.org/pardons_faqs.html

Wellness Day

2010-10-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

AIDS Calgary is hosting another Wellness Day

Where: Calgary Cares Centre
110 - 1603 10th Avenue SW

When: October 14, 2010
2:00 – 6:00 pm

Who: Available to registered AIDS Calgary or Shift program clients

What: Gift bags, light snacks and coffee/tea are provided. There will also be a
clothing give-away throughout the afternoon. It’s all free!

Wellness Day participants can sign up for the following activities at reception. They are offered in 30 minute sessions between 3:00 – 5:30pm:

• Acupuncture
• Massage Therapy
• Nutritional Counseling *participants are asked to bring in a list of foods eaten in the past three days before the session
• Mac Cosmetics make-over & consultation

In addition to these sessions, participants may also sign up for this workshop:

• Make the Break: Tobacco Reduction workshop – 2:00 – 3:00 pm

We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions, or would like to book a session, please contact us at 403.508.2500

Legalization vs. Decriminalization of Prostitution: What's the Difference?

2010-10-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

As we explained last [post] we know that prostitution in Canada is legal. It is the activities associated with prostitution that are illegal.

There are ongoing debates about legalization and decriminalization but before you form an educated opinion you need to understand the difference between the two concepts. “Legalization and de-criminalization are two separate regulatory frameworks with different outcomes and impacts on sex workers” (Scarlett Alliance).

Legalization
Legalization of prostitution means that you can legally call yourself a sex worker but that the use of criminal laws would regulate or control the sex worker or the sex work industry. Historically it is governed by the state and the laws are created by the state. Some governing laws include mandated physical exams for all sex workers, a sex worker registry, permits, and designated work areas. Generally these laws are not made by sex workers but are made for sex workers.

Some of the benefits of legalization could be that sex work would be made more legitimate, stigma would be reduced, governments would benefit by receiving taxes and licensing fees, and there is more control over the number of sex workers as there could be a registration system. Although sex work is legalized in Canada, last week’s article shows us that the laws surrounding it make it almost impossible to legally work in the sex industry.

Decriminalization
Decriminalizing prostitution in Canada would mean taking an eraser to the Criminal Code and removing sections 210-213. It would remove all current laws pertaining to prostitution.

Some of the benefits to decriminalization could include: putting control of the industry into the hands of sex workers, increasing safety for sex workers as they can work together in a common area, increasing safety for sex workers because they would feel safe to report violent crimes without fear of prosecution, normalizing the industry and reducing the stigmas around sex work (many people believe sex workers deserve the violence they experience because of their job choice), and potentially allowing sex workers to benefit from employment and labor laws.

Sex work is a touchy subject, we know there are high emotions, values, and morals attached to the activity of selling sex for money. However, sex work is happening and it is currently one of the most dangerous professions in Canada. Sex workers are being reported missing and/or murdered on a far too regular basis.

Regardless of if we believe sex work should be criminalized, decriminalized or legalized, we need to recognize that above all else sex workers have a right to safety, and to their life. They have a right to be respected and given support to exit the sex industry if they want and to be respected and given the tools to keep safe if they want to continue in this work.

From The A Word. (2010). Legalization vs. Decriminalization of Prostitution: What's the Difference? Retrieved from http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/2010/08/legalization-vs-decriminalization-of.html

Sex Work Laws in Canada

2010-10-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

Did you know that prostitution in Canada is legal? It’s true! The exchange of sex for money or goods (i.e. meals, housing, drugs) is legal. It is legal to call yourself a sex worker.

That being said, the Canadian Criminal Code makes almost every activity related to prostitution illegal which makes it difficult for a person to work in the sex trade.

Here’s how the laws break down:

Section 110 – It is illegal to work in and/or own a bawdy house.
A bawdy house is also known as a brothel. Under the Criminal code a bawdy house can be any place that someone occupies for the purpose of prostitution. This can include a sex worker’s house, hotels, client’s homes, a car, and/or massage and body rub parlours. This would mean that going to a clients home more than once, or having them at your place on a re-occurring basis would classify that home as a bawdy house. Having to see new clients every time reduces safety as you would not get to keep regular safe clients.

Section 211 – It is illegal to direct or take someone to a bawdy-house.
You cannot tell someone where to find a sex worker, provide directions or an actual address. This includes taxi drivers, hotel concierge, or a driver for a sex worker taking him or her to a client’s home, etc.

Section 212 – It is illegal to force someone into prostitution and you cannot live off the avails.
Although it’s legal to exchange sex for money, it’s illegal to spend the money you make. Anyone who regularly spends time with and is supported by a sex worker can be assumed to be “living off the avails”. This could include a partner, family members, roommates and/or friends. This law also refers to what are commonly known as “pimps” or “procurers”.

Section 213 – It is illegal to communicate for the purpose of prostitution.
It is illegal to communicate in a public place for the purpose of prostitution. You can also be charged for stopping (or attempting to stop) people or cars on a street. A sex worker cannot negotiate with a client on the street or in a bar as this would be considered a public place.

Penalties for breaking these laws:
These can vary from community service to hefty fines. Some of these would carry jail time.

Interesting fact about Calgary:
Our sex workers need to be concerned about the criminal code, but also with City Bylaws. In Calgary we license escorts. In order to work in Calgary as an escort you must have an escort license, which is distributed by the City of Calgary. There are two ways to obtain a license, as an employee of an escort agency or through self-employment. There is a fee to get a license and a police check is required. If you are working as an escort without a license there are hefty fines.

Even though prostitution in Canada is legal, it is easy to see how the complexities of the laws would make it almost impossible to legitimately work as a sex worker in our country. People involved in sex work face a lot of challenges: fear of criminalization, unsafe work environments and blurry laws. Understanding these issues is the beginning of understanding the loss of control a sex worker has over their employment.

From The A Word. (2010). Sex Work Laws in Canada. Retrieved from http://aidscalgary.blogspot.com/2010/08/sex-work-laws-in-canada.html

Did you know? Sex Work and Mandatory Testing in Austria

2010-08-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

Sex work is legalized and therefore regulated in Austria, but what does that mean for sex workers there? Among many regulations, a registered sex worker’s Sexually Transmitted Infection and HIV status is monitored by the Federal government. Since 1873, health certificates have been mandatory for any registered sex worker. The Austrian Criminal Code addresses the various health requirements, and most other aspects of sex work are regulated by each individual province and municipality.

The Venereal Diseases Act (or Geschlechtskrankheitengesetz) states that all persons experiencing a sexually transmittable disease (or STI) must seek treatment. Sex workers must undergo examination to prove they are clear of any STIs before they begin working, and on a weekly basis throughout their employment in the sex trade. If the worker is clear of STIs, then an identity card is issued with a certifying stamp. This is done through the District Administration Office. However, if the worker is diagnosed with an STI, then the ID card is revoked. A worker must present their ID card to any police officer or authority upon request or face a fine (Hagenauer, 2009, p. 6).

The AIDS Act (or AIDS- Gesetz) prohibits sex workers from engaging in any commercial sexual exchange if they are diagnosed as HIV positive or the HIV test did not show a clearly negative result. Every registered worker must undergo a specific HIV test before working, and subsequently every three months thereafter (Hoebert & Kartusch, 2007, p. 20). If a sex worker is found to be providing commercial sexual services while living with HIV, or if that worker refuses testing to be completed, they are liable to a fine of 7260 Euro. If they are found to have committed this offence more than twice in a three-year period, they are liable to up to six months imprisonment and additional 7260 Euro fine (Hagenauer, 2009, p. 7).

However, it is not necessarily the selling of sexual services that determines the level of risk of HIV infection, but the ability of individuals to implement boundaries and safer sex practices. We encourage all sexually active individuals, whether employed in sex work or not, to practice safer sex and incorporate regular STI and HIV testing.

References

Hagenauer, N. (2009). Prostitution in Austria and New Zealand: Comparison and Important Facts. Retrieved on July 20, 2010 http://www.ecpat.org.nz/ProstitutioninAustriaandNewZealandNinaApril09Final.pdf.pdf

Hoebart, C. & Kartusch, A. (2007). Women at Work – Sex Work in Austria. Retrieved on July 22, 2010 http://v000702.vhost-vweb-02.sil.at/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/tca-kyrene-austria-report.pdf

The Sevices of Calgary Sexual Health

2010-07-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

CONDOMS, PREGNANCY TESTING, REFERRALS AND COUSELLING: FREE AND ON YOUR TERMS.

The Calgary Sexual Health center is a non-judgmental, free service stop for sexual and reproductive health information and support. We are sex-positive and pro-choice, and we are here to answer questions and help you find the resources you need.
We offer free condoms, pregnancy testing (onsite or take-home), referrals, and counseling. Our counseling is free, personal, private and is focused around what works for you. You can talk to a counselor face to face, over the phone, or through email, and all of these sessions are confidential. Our counselors offer support for a wide range of issues including pregnancy options (parenting/adoption/ abortion), birth control options and post-abortion counseling.
We are not a medical clinic and do not have any doctors or nurses. Our hope is that we can guide you to the best services and be there as any added support you might need.
We are connected with so many great resources in Calgary and we refer our clients to the best ones based on their individual needs. We are also here for follow-up support and information after any of these services.
The Calgary Health Centre is here for you to take advantage of, so please do!
Our doors are open from 9am -5pm Monday to Friday to answer phone and email questions and to book appointments, however, we do encourage drop-ins visit during our drop-in hours listed below.
Drop In Hours
Monday 9am – 5pm (closed the first Monday of the month)
Tuesday and Wednesday 9am – 1pm
Thursday and Friday 12pm-5pm

We are located on the 3rd floor on the Hillhurst building in Kensington (304, 301-14th Street NW) just 2 blocks north of Chicken on the Way.
Also, feel free to contact us by phone: 403-283-5580 or e-mail: generalmail@calgarysexualhealth.ca to make an appointment, to ask questions or just to chat! We hope to see you soon!

Screening Customers

2010-06-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

Whether emerging or experienced in the sex industry, you will have your own safety and screening strategies. Here are some reminders from sex workers across Canada.

These are safety and screening strategies for sex workers who advertise online and receive either email or telephone responses from clients. Conversely, when out on the stroll, other safety precautions are needed.

Over the Internet:

- Beware of cold-call responses from persons attempting to gain your personal information. Answer the emails that at least sound like they are written to request your services specifically.
- Register with an online local review board (like Canada Adult Fun or Pacific Review Board) – there you can chat about problem/dangerous dates and update your co-workers and yourself on important information. Some review boards have secure areas that dates don’t have access to.
- Good clients use respectful language and do not give long-winded speeches. They should have read your advertisement and generally do not need to communicate longer than it takes to book an appointment.
- Make sure you have a firewall and antivirus software on your computer. If you are working wireless, make sure it is secure/blocked from other users.

Over the Phone:

- Never take appointments from blocked/private/withheld numbers. These numbers can help you in the future to provide references or warnings for your colleagues.
- Listen to distinguishing vocal characteristics – do they have slurred speech or an accent?
- If the client is not polite to you over the phone, chances are he/she is not polite in person!
- Watch out for chat buddies – a good client will call, book the appointment, and maybe ask a few questions, rather than try to have a date over the phone for free. The appointment booking should only take a couple of minutes
- Ask what the client is looking for to find out their response – that way you’ll know what they are expecting and can either come prepared, or avoid them altogether. Sometimes these conversations can lead your client to reveal more about themselves.

On the Stroll:

- Read the Bad Date Sheet (see below on how to get one).
- Dress your best and for the weather; pay special attention that you have comfortable footwear.
- Avoid wearing things around your neck that you could be strangled with.
- Carry a whistle as opposed to a weapon; weapons can be used against you and a whistle will get someone’s attention.
- Bring a charged cell phone; even if you don’t have a plan or minutes, you can call 9-1-1.
- Try to have a spotter or work with friends. They can help to write down or remember details like make of car or license plate numbers. Record these if alone.
- Ensure the client is alone in the vehicle and avoid vehicles where a predator may be hiding (ie. Vans with side paneling or tinting where you can’t see inside).
- Try to assess the date’s mental state and level of sobriety before getting in: is he drunk, high on drugs or agitated?
- If possible, choose an area you are familiar with to take the date.

In General:
- Get referrals from co-workers and trustworthy people.
- Observe as many details about your client as you can: height, weight, build, distinguishing features, description of vehicle, license plate numbers, etc.
- Use your gut; intuition is a powerful tool.
- If your date offers to pay you too well, it is likely too good to be true.
- Inform your date that someone knows where you are and that they are expecting you back; if possible phone a trusted person in front of your date to inform them of your whereabouts and details about the date.

Some of these tips were compiled from Trade Secrets Blog at http://tradesecretsguide.blogspot.com/2009/11/screening-customers.html

Bad Date Reporting

Shift creates and circulates the Bad Date Sheet on a monthly basis. You can obtain a current bad date from our website at http://shiftcalgary.org/Resources.html or from Safeworks, EXIT Outreach, the Calgary Sexual Health Centre and the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre.

If you or someone you know has had a bad date, there is help available. You can contact the Shift Program by phone at 403-237-8171 or by email at info@shiftcalgary.org. There are other agencies that offer 24 hour support and information:

Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse (or CCASA) 403 237 5888
The Distress Centre 403 266 1605
Calgary Police Service Non Emergency Line 403 266 1234
Emergency Services 911

You may anonymously report using our form available here: http://shiftcalgary.org/Bad_Date_Reporting_Form.html

Pap Screening Changes in Alberta

2010-05-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Alberta Health Services has made changes to Pap Screening procedures. Based on evidence regarding technology and on epidemiologic data, the revised guidelines no longer recommend annual screening for all women.

What is a Pap test?
A Pap test checks for changes in the cells of your cervix. It is done in a healthcare provider’s office and only takes a few minutes. An instrument called a speculum is gently inserted into your vagina so the cervix can be seen. Cells are carefully collected from the cervix and sent to the laboratory to be checked under a microscope. Alberta Health Services: Screening for Life will notify you with the results and direction for next steps by mail.

If ‘abnormal’ cells are found you will be directed to follow-up with you health care provider, who will monitor closely and, if needed, treat so that a cancer does not develop.

Until recently it was recommended that a woman begin having pap tests yearly from the time intercourse occurs.

What causes cervical cancer?
There are more than 45 types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that are transmitted by intimate sexual contact. Persistent infection with a carcinogenic type (about 15 types are) is necessary for cervical cancer to develop. Most infections resolve without symptoms or treatment. A woman’s immune system generally clears the virus where cervical cell changes have occurred. When the virus has not cleared persistent carcinogenic HPV infection may cause precancerous tissue changes that can progress to invasive cancer over many years.

Why the changes?
Widespread Pap testing over the past 40 years has resulted in a substantial reduction in cervical cancer mortality. As well, cervical cancer is rare in Alberta among females younger than 21 years old, and with the availability of the HPV vaccine it is expected that the rates of infection will continue to decrease.
Technologies in Pap testing, and HPV testing have evolved increasing accuracy.

However, “30% of Alberta women have not been screened for more than 3 years.”
(2009, Revised. Guideline Screening for Cervical Cancer. Retrieved from http://www.topalbertadoctors.org) Women who have never been screened or are screened irregularly are most at risk for cervical cancer.

What are the new guidelines?
You should have your first Pap test at age 21 or 3 years after intimate sexual contact, whichever is longer. From then; unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise, you should have a Pap test once a year for 3 years. If the results of all 3 tests are normal, you can begin having Pap tests once every 3 years. For most women 70 years and older, cervical screening can stop if your last 3 Pap tests, done within the past 10 years, were normal.

You should still be screened even if you have received the HPV vaccine.

For women over 30 who have been found to have borderline cell changes on her Pap test, the sample may also be tested for high-risk HPV. This test helps decide whether the woman should go for more specialized tests. HPV testing is not recommended for women younger than 30.

Where can testing be done?
If you do not have a family physician you can call Health Link Alberta at 1-866-408-LINK (5465) to access a clinic.

How can the risk be reduced?
“Have Pap tests as per the Screening guidelines.
Talk to your healthcare provider about the HPV vaccine.
Even if you are vaccinated against HPV, get a Pap test regularly. The vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.
Limit the number of sexual partners you have.
Use condoms. Although condoms work well to prevent other STIs, they offer less protection against HPV. HPV can be found on skin that is not covered by condoms.
Don’t smoke and limit exposure to second-hand smoke. Tobacco use in women with HPV has been linked to a higher risk of cervical cancer.
Understand that sexual activity at a young age increases your risk of being infected with HPV.” (2009, Cervical Screening: Do I Really Need a Pap Test? Retrieved from http://www.screeningforlife.ca/_files/file.php?fileid=filelhfBSETAJA&filename=file_AHS_CERVICAL_Important_Pap_LowR.pdf)

Reference Sources:

http://www.topalbertadoctors.org/informed_practice/clinical_practice_guidelines/complete%20set/Cervical%20Cancer/cervical_cancer_guideline.pdf

http://www.screeningforlife.ca/cervical/index.html

Disclaimer:
Decisions about particular medical tests and treatments should always be made in consultation with a qualified medical practitioner knowledgeable about women’s health and STI’s / HIV. Information accessed through or published or provided by AIDS Calgary, is not to be considered medical advice.

Considering a Career Change?

2010-05-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

Exiting sex work and seeking out other meaningful employment opportunities can be a challenging task. The common barriers to starting a career transition can mean a loss of income, explaining gaps in work experience, adjusting to changes in work schedules & time management; as well as accessing child care, travel barriers and possibly dealing with a criminal record, just to name a few.

If you identify with any of these barriers, the Shift case manager can help. Here is what Shift can do for you when it comes to finding a new job:

- identify barriers that impact you
- assist in setting employment goals
- outline income support options while returning to work or as a learner
- provide information on employment programs in the city
- assist with resume and cover letter writing
- give referrals for pre-employment and work related clothing
- provide supportive counseling
- Offer basic needs assistance and other referrals (food, transportation, child care programs near you, etc.)
- support you with budgeting and life management

If you wish to access more intensive and structured employment training, there are several agencies that may be able to help you:

McBride Career Group Inc.
Career development and human resource services
www.mcbridecareergroup.com
P: 403 777 5633 or 403 290 1000
Email: wt@mcbridecareergroup.com

Bow Valley College
Academic upgrading, continuing education, career connection
www.bowvalleycollege.ca
Community Services: P 403 410 3203
Aboriginal Programs and Funding: P 403 273-1873
Email: info@bowvalleycollege.ca

Personal Support and Development Network
Client-centered adult education, training and career counseling services
www.psdn.ca
Calgary Training Centre: P 403 261 7736

Calgary John Howard Society
Employment training programs designed to help people who have a criminal record
www.calgaryjohnhoward.org
P 403 266 4566
Email info@calgaryjohnhoward.org

Vermillion YWCA Training Centre
Sixteen-week carpentry training program for women
http://community.ywcaofcalgary.com/Page.aspx?pid=231
P: 403 705 7550
Email: recruiter@ywcaofcalgary.com

Calgary Immigrant Educational Society
Clerical, Accounting, Literacy, ESL training for newcomers
www.immigrant-education.ca
P: 403 235 3666
Email: info@immigrant-education.ca

Momentum
Business development, Calgary rent bank, Immigrant Access Fund, skills and trades training, entrepreneur support
www.momentum.org
P: 403 272 9323
Email: info@momentum.org

Alberta Job Corps – Alberta Employment and Immigration
Hands-on employment/training program for adults receiving income support
www.employment.alberta.ca
P: 403 297 7667

City Links – City of Calgary
Paid work experience and training for individuals facing employment barriers
www.calgary.ca
P: 403 974 3112
Email: berniebrouillet@calgary.ca

Shift Peer Gatherings

2010-04-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

Have you been involved in sex work? Do you want support and guidance to help you achieve your goals? If so, Shift invites you to our peer gatherings beginning in May.

When: May 5, 2010 from 1:30 – 3:00pm
Where: Calgary Cares Centre 110, 1603 10th Avenue SW

For more information and to pre-register please contact us:

P 403 237 8171
email info@shiftcalgary.org

Childcare subsidy and transportation is available for attendance.

Understanding the Exotic Dancing Industry in Calgary

2010-04-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

The world of exotic dancing can be a confusing place to navigate, so we have put together some industry relevant information and tip’s to help you steer your way through.

What is an exotic dancer?

According to the City of Calgary Bylaw Department, a nude Entertainer;

Anyone who agrees to perform exotic entertainment (nude or semi nude) for 1 or more persons for money or goods.

The Handbook of Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission section 1.40 outlines the rules and guidelines one is to follow while engaging in exotic dancing.
• The definition of a Nude entertainer includes when the body is covered by paint or other substances.
• Minors are prohibited from performing as nude entertainers or entering establishment while there is nude entertainment.
• Before and after your show
o A change room must be provided
o You must be provided with a clear path to and from the stage
o You need to be fully clothed before, between and after your performance
• During your show
o Your dance area must have at least 1 metre of space between you and the customers
o You are not to be touched, or touch a customer, even with objects or through lap dances
o Customers are not allowed on the dance area or within the 1 metre of the dance area and dancers are not allowed in the customer area or within the 1 metre area of the customers
o You can dance with others as long as there is: no touching the other dancers and you need maintaining 1 metre distance between you and the other dancers
o You can not use an animal, bird, or reptile in your performance
o Nor can you use any props or sexual devices (dildo)
o Real or pretend acts of violence are not allowed
o You can not insert or extract any objects in to or from your body
o And you can not dance on tables, or perform lap dancing

Is a license required to dance?

Yes, you do need a license to work in Calgary, it lasts one year and it costs $140 for the license fee, $40 for the Police Review Fee and after one year you need to pay $107 for a renewal.
The Police Review Fee is a police check is a recommendation from the Calgary Police Services that reflects your past criminal activity and is taken into consideration when granting you your license. Try to clear up any outstanding warrants before applying for this license.
Call 268-5311 to set up an appointment or you can go to The Municipal Building at 3rd floor, 800 Macleod Trail SE

When you go for your license bring two pieces of, proof of employment, payment,

(Business Registration, City of Calgary, 2010).

What are some considerations to take before working as an exotic dancer?

What are the physical risks?

Poor lighting, insecure stages, and poles; as well as floors that are in poor repair can create hazards including slips and falls especially when wearing stilettos.

Remnants such as body oil, candle wax or sweat on the floor or pole could also create further hazards.

dancers report that it is not uncommon for bouncers, managers and police to treat assaults in and around a strip-club as an occupational hazard that dancers should expect and “deal with” without taking action against the perpetrator.

What are the risks to contracting infectious diseases?

Exposure to body fluids (saliva, vaginal discharge etc) that have been left on props, furniture, poles and other tools of the trade, can be a risk for HEP C, the Flu and other infections.

What are the health risks associated with substance use and abuse?

The club manager’s and customers may encourage the dancers to drink alcohol as part of the entertainment. Beware that drinking or drug use on the job may result in moving beyond personal boundaries and limitations.

What about security and theft?

Leaving valuables in the change rooms of the clubs may not be secure. Check in with the club manager to discuss security procedures.

What about the travel?

Keep in mind the safety, location and quality of the hotel room provided. Licensing and By-Laws vary between Provinces and Cities, so ensure you are aware of them and working within them.
Make sure a phone is provided or have your cell phone charged at all times. It is also a good idea to let someone know where you are at all times.

Where do I work?

Ask around; ask DJ’s dancers and other staff members about what the job is like at potential clubs. You want to know about fees, contract rules, average tips, tip outs, hours, working conditions, safety and security.

What about Agents?

Many clubs will require you have an agent. An agent should be able to book you the jobs you want in a timely and effective manner, they should have a competitive fee and you should ask around about different booking agents to see who may be the best fit.
• Get a contract from your agent stating pay and expectations.
• Inform the agent of assets, such as new costumes, new hair or a great tan
• Be professional and negotiate the pay and expectations.

Do I need my own supplies?

Towels are good to throw down on chairs (when your in costume) this helps you avoid touching your bare skin to unclean surfaces.
Blankets are great for on stage to make a barrier between you and the ground

For more information on this and other types of sex work, take a look at:
Trade Secrets Heath and Safety for the Sex industry http://tradesecretsguide.blogspot.com/search/label/Our%20Workspaces

National Network on Environments and women’s health; Towards Healthy work Environments for Exotic Dancers in Canada http://www.nnewh.org/images/upload/attach/7098star-policy-brief.pdf

International Sex Workers Rights Day on March 3 2010

2010-01-21T07:40:00.000-08:00

The Shift Program has brough together a commitee in preparation for the International Sex Workers Rights Day on March 3, 2010. The committee is composed of approximately 10 participants including community members, sex workers and community based agencies. The committee chose an event that acknowledges the inconsistency of rights that sex workers face everyday.

Prostitution (meaning the exchange of sex for money or other goods) in Canada is legal. However, the laws in Canada regarding prostitution make it almost impossible to work legally. There are four sections of the Canadian Criminal Code that directly relate to prostitution including: Section 210- Keeping a bowdy house. Section 211- Directing or taking someone to a bawdy house. Section 212- Procuring prostitution or living off the avails of Prostitution and section 213- Communicating for the purpose of Prostitution. These laws force sex workers to work in unsafe and secretive conditions. The secretive nature and the "criminalization" of this work create stigma and negative stereotypes around sex work.

The event on March 3rd will showcase the lived experiences of women who work in the sex trade. The committee has designed and circulated a survey within Calgary's sex trade community to collect information. By gathering and sharing the individual stories of workers in the sex trade community, the committee hopes to be able to break down some of the stigma and stereotypes that surround sex work.

The event will he held during the lunch hour at the centrally located Glenbow Museum Theatre.

The committee is now working towards putting together a presentaion that incorporates the many voices of sex workers, naming the event and designing a flyer for promotion.

If you would like to become involved in this event please contact us at 403-237-8171 or info@shiftcalgary.org

If you would like to fill out the anonymous and confidential survey here is the link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SKG2YPG or
http://shiftcalgary.org/Resources.html

Red Umbrella Day – December 17th, 2009

2009-12-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

Today is International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers. It was created by Dr. Annie Sprinkle in 2003 as a day to raise awareness of the violence in sex work and to highlight the discrimination that sex workers face. The day is observed globally on December 17th. Events include forums, marches, vigils and memorials.

The red umbrella was first used by sex workers in Venice, Italy in 2001. Slovenian artist Tadej Pogacar collaborated with sex workers to create the "Prostitute Pavillion" and CODE: RED art installation. On the occasion of the 49th Venice Biennale of Art in 2001 they walked the streets together out and proud in a Red Umbrellas March. The red is a colour of beauty and the umbrella protects from the elements. It symbolizes protection and strength.

In Calgary, sex trade workers face the reality of violence everyday. They may be degraded, taunted, have objects thrown at them, and be physically and sexually assaulted. These are all crimes committed against them, as persons. Yet some members of society seem to accept this behaviour towards them by saying, “it serves them right”, or “they set themselves up because of what they do”.

What sex workers do, in a number of venues; from the stroll to nightclubs, massage parlours and through escort agencies, is earn a living to support themselves and their families.

They are our mothers, sisters / brothers, daughters / sons and friends. They are Calgarians, and because they must hide from the stigma imposed upon them, they are isolated and vulnerable to the perpetrators of violence.

At shift, we hear their stories; provide them with support & guidance, and the tools of the trade that could help keep them safe while working; and provide them with the supports and services they need to leave the trade if they choose.
shift services are non-judgmental and as individual as the sex workers we assist.
By utilizing a harm-reduction approach we are able to facilitate in building on the strengths of these brave people.

On this day please remember the people involved in the sex trade that we have lost and risk being lost. Please help us to support the people in the sex trade that risk danger everyday, by considering your values and perceptions and perhaps making a shift yourself.

Sexually Transmitted Hep C

2009-12-16T14:25:00.000-08:00

Hepatitis C is transmitted blood to blood, and although it is not listed as a sexually transmitted infection, we would like to point out that it can in fact be transmitted sexually if blood is present.

What is HCV?
HCV, also known as Hep C, is caused by a virus carried in blood. It attacks your liver. You might not have symptoms for many years. By that time the liver damage could be serious.

How is it transmitted?
The virus is passed by blood-to-blood contact. Even though you may not experience symptoms, you can still pass it on to other people.

You can get HCV from:
- Sharing needles, pipes, straws, cookers, filters, ties, or water for drug use with anyone, including your sexual partner.
- Piercing or tattooing equipment (including ink) already used on someone else.
- Anything that might have blood on it, like razors, nail clippers, and toothbrushes already used by someone else, even if you can’t see the blood.
- Unprotected sex with someone who has HCV

How can it be transmitted sexually?
Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange [CATIE] shared a study that pooled health information from Australia, France, Germany, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom to look at sexually transmitted HCV in gay and bisexual men. It should be noted also that the men researched were also living with HIV. The information collected for the study suggested:

that HCV was transmitted through unprotected anal sex that damaged the lining of the rectum. This can occur in several circumstances, including these: having prolonged bouts of unprotected anal intercourse, having multiple episodes of unprotected anal sex, being fisted, having another sexually transmitted infection such as syphilis or LGV, or engaging in substance use (CATIE, 2009)

The study also mentions that substance use can dry out a person’s mucous membranes, which can cause the lining of the rectum to become damaged and bleed. Any damaged mucous membrane can facilitate the entry of HIV and HCV into a person’s body.

Although the study does not look at data specifically on women from these countries, women are still at risk for transmitting or contracting HCV if engaging in the same risk factors, and if menstruating.

For more on this article, please visit the CATIE website at: http://www.catie.ca/catienews.nsf/00a48c8905294f0b8525717f00661eb8/44b2fbfe8100795c852575cc0066c235%21OpenDocument

Testing
A person can have HCV for years without knowing it. It is important to get tested regularly if sexually active. Testing is available through a doctor’s office, or anonymous and confidential testing is available at:

Calgary Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic
Sheldon M. Chumir Centre
5th Floor, 1213 – 4th Street SW
Tel: (403) 955-6700

Safeworks
Sheldon M. Chumir Centre
Main Floor, 1213 – 4th Street SW
Tel: (403) 944-7075

For up-to-date information on Hepatitis C go to http://www.hepcinfo.ca/

Nutritional Food Resources in Calgary

2009-11-19T10:09:00.001-08:00

A theme that has been surfacing lately for individuals with limited access to food is the quality of food and nutritional value that people receive from hampers and donations. This has been of particular concern to individuals who are also providing for their families, and for those with special dietary needs. Food hampers are an important and essential service to many individuals, however, people may need to enhance the emergency staple foods they receive.

Fortunately, there are several satellite cooperatives and programs offered throughout the city that provide nutritious options. Please note that some of the foods offered may come at a low cost. The following are some programs to highlight:

The Community Kitchen Program of Calgary (CKPC)
Tel: (403) 275-0258
Web: http://www.communitykitchenprogram.com/

The Community Kitchen Program of Calgary organizes several food security programs within Calgary. The community kitchens are open to anyone who is interested in cooking nutritious meals with a group of people and share their knowledge in low cost healthy cooking. Tummy Tamers, and Souper Stars are some of the other programs offered by the CKPC.

The Good Food Box
The Good Food Box is low cost and high quality produce offered by the CKPC. You can order and pick up your Good Food Box at various agencies, including the Calgary Cares Centre throughout the year. Contact Shift or visit the CKPC website listed above for more information. Payment is required to order.

Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids (BB4CK)
Tel: (403) 264-7979
Web: http://brownbaggingit.org/

BB4CK works with the Calgary Separate School district and the Calgary Board of Education to combat increasing numbers of students going to school hungry. Also, The FEED KIDS program works with various community agencies such as EXIT Community Outreach, CUPS Community Health Centre, the ALEX Youth Health Centre and Safe House to produce lunches each week for youth without access to adequate nutritious foods.

Best Beginning Program
Tel: (403) 228-8221
Web: http://www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/programs/maternalnewborn/bestbeginning.htm

The Best Beginning Program is an Alberta Health Region program for pregnant teens and pregnant women on low income. The staff work with pregnant women and their families to have the healthiest baby possible.

Children’s Milk Program
Tel: (403) 253-2059

The Children’s Milk program is offered through the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank Society. They provide home delivery of fresh milk and formula to children and pregnant and nursing moms. A referral must be made through a health-based organization.

For more information on food resources in Calgary and for emergency food, please contact Shift. You can also look at the Calgary Health Region’s handout on Emergency Food Resources at: http://www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/programs/nutrition/pdf/emergency_food_july_2009_1.pdf

Constitutional Challenge Update

2009-10-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Sex work is legal in Canada, yet everything required for a sale to take place is illegal:
Keeping a common bawdy- house (a place kept, occupied or frequented for purposes of prostitution; including an escort service or erotic massage). Communicating for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, and procuring or living off the avails of prostitution.

The case brought before the Ontario Supreme Court, by three sex workers, is challenging these three sections of the Criminal Code.

In deciding the case, Justice Susan Himel needs to determine whether the prostitution laws are proportionate for their purpose, or whether they have the effect of forcing sex workers into unsafe situations.

Those wishing to strike down the laws argue that they do create unsafe work environments by forcing workers on the streets, or underground; thus preventing them from being able to screen their customers, work in and travel to places they consider to be safe and hire staff to help them to do this; such as drivers and receptionists. The evidence points to the sex trade workers across Canada who have been beaten, killed, kidnapped and missing.

Over the years attempts have been made to change aspects of prostitution laws, though this is the first challenge in decades that is aiming for broad changes.

Court resumed with final arguments for the Ontario level of this challenge on Monday October 26th, 2009.

Winter Lovin'?

2009-10-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

With their lips still locked, Sarah somehow managed to find her keys and open her apartment door. They stumbled onto the couch, passionately tearing off each other's clothes as they went. He ran his tongue along her body. She uttered a low groan. Jay continued to run his tongue against her body until Sarah couldn't stand it anymore. "Take me now, Jay," she panted desperately. Jay lifted Sarah's legs back toward her shoulders and...Ahh, a good old fashioned romance novel, a straight girl's summer staple. While this particular passage does have all the steamy prerequisites covered, something is definitely missing. Sexual tension? Check. Being swept away in the moment? Check. Details intimate enough to make your great-aunt Edna blush? Check. Protagonists practicing safer sex? Negative.While perhaps not the finest pieces of literature, romance novels continue to be one of the largest read genres of book lovers. In 2008 alone, Harlequin Enterprises sold 130 million books.Romance novels feature formulated and reoccurring themes where a female protagonist is often swept away in a moment of passion. In the process of being swept away, condoms or other safer sex methods are usually left behind.

Why does safer sex on paper matter? It’s just fiction right? Well, the concern lies in how narratives are capable of touching our emotions, teaching us new behaviors, impacting our beliefs, and shaping our cultural identity. Whether we like it or not, modern sexuality requires a more careful eye to safer sex. Media outlets, such as the romance novel, have a perfect opportunity to normalize safer sex practices.So how difficult would it be to slip a condom in to a sex scene anyways? Let’s take a crack at it:

Jay pulled back slightly and asked ‘should we use protection?’ Sarah nodded; her face was warm as he unwrapped the foil package that read “Cherry Flavored Condom, expiry date: June 3rd, 2010”. Pleased with his concern for her well being and that it was June 3rd, 2009, she smiled. See? Not so difficult after all! Alright, the expiry date might be pushing it. But how about this?
With their lips still locked, Sarah somehow managed to find her keys and open her apartment door. They stumbled onto the couch, passionately tearing off each other's clothes as they went. As Jay ran his tongue along her body he fished a cherry flavoured condom from his discarded pants’ pocket. Pulling back, he slowly rolled the condom over his throbbing member. Sarah uttered a low groan at the site. Jay continued to run his tongue against her body until Sarah couldn't stand it anymore. "Take me now, Jay," she panted desperately. Jay lifted Sarah's legs back toward her shoulders and...I don’t know about you, but I’m just as riled up as I was that first read through. And I for one am happy to know that Jay and Sarah are reducing their risk. What’s hotter than that?

Posted by AIDS Calgary at 3:21 PM on July 9th, 2009 from The A Word: Summer Lovin'

Look What's Back!

2009-10-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

Syphilis is on the rise in Calgary. In 2008, there have been more than 200 confirmed cases of Syphilis.

What is Syphilis?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection. It is caused by bacteria called Treponema pallidum.

What are the symptoms?
Syphilis progresses in stages and people often don’t know that they are infected because the symptoms are not easy to see or feel.

What are the stages of Syphilis?
Primary Stage (9-90 days after contact) – A person infected with Syphilis will experience a painless sore where contact was made with the bacteria. The sore is highly infectious (meaning, it can be passed easily from person to person). The sore will disappear on its own, but if left untreated, the person can still pass it on to others.

Secondary Stage (1-6 months) – If left untreated, the infection progresses to the secondary stage. The person will experience a non-itchy rash somewhere on their body. The rash can sometimes appear on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet but it has been reported to show up elsewhere. Other symptoms include patchy hair loss, swollen lymph glands, and muscle and joint pain. Syphilis is still highly infectious at this stage.

Tertiary Stage/Latent Stages – Syphilis can stay in a person’s body for decades and if left untreated, it can progress to the later (tertiary) stages. Eventually, the bacterial infection can cause severe damage to organs and could ultimately cause death.

How is it transmitted?
Syphilis is transmitted through sexual contact (vaginal, anal, oral), from direct contact with the sore or rash if it is present, or from body fluids (semen, vaginal fluid, etc) containing the bacteria. The sores and rash generally appear where contact was first made with the bacteria (vagina, penis, inner thighs, mouth, and back of the throat). A mother can also transmit Syphilis to her baby. Syphilis testing is routine for pregnant women. If pre-natal screening and testing has not occurred, syphilis can lead to death in a new born baby.

How can I get tested for Syphilis?
The test for Syphilis is a blood test. It is not part of routine testing so a person must ask to be tested. If you do not have a family doctor, or don’t feel comfortable asking your doctor, you can access:

Calgary STD Clinic
Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre
5th Floor, 1213 – 4th Street SW
Calgary, AB, T2R 0X7

Safeworks
Safeworks has several day sites throughout the week, and also has a mobile van service. You can call them on the van after 8pm at 403-850-3755 or at the Sheldon Chumir office between 4:00-7:45pm at 403-955-6014.

Prevention
You can reduce your risk of Syphilis transmission with safer sexual practices:
- proper condom use for oral, anal and vaginal intercourse and shared sex toys
- use of gloves and/or dental dams (or condom cut lengthwise)
- communication with partner and negotiation of safer sex practices
- regular testing

Treatment
Syphilis is curable with antibiotics (usually penicillin), and it is easier to treat when diagnosed early.

2009-08-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

Condom Negotiation on Seven Continents

Wherever you travel it’s always useful to know a few words in the local language. Hello, goodbye, please and thank you are always a good start. How to ask your smoldering Greek tour guide to wear a condom isn’t something a lot of people plan for. Whether or not you intend to find romance abroad, the summer fling has certainly been known to happen. Here is our pocket travel guide to condom negotiation on seven continents.If you’re an English speaker, travelling in North America is a cinch. The majority of the population are either native speakers or have fluent ESL skills. But, always better to be safe than sorry!

If you find yourself tramping through rural Quebec you might ask:Est-ce que tu as un preservative? (pronounced ehs-kuh tueh ah uh prey-zerh-vah-teef)

If you’re going a little more exotic and trekking through South America, be armed to ask if the other person has a condom in Spanish or Portuguese: SpanishTienes un condon? (pronounced Tyeh-nehs oon kohn-dohn)PortugueseTens um preservativo? (pronounced Tengsh oong pre-zer-va-tee-vo)

Australia is a no-brainer for those English speakers again. May we suggest adding a ‘mate’ to the end of you sentence? As in…‘do you have a condom, mate?’

A trek across Europe poses a challenge. With dozens of languages only a day’s travel apart you might have to do some research ahead of time. To start you off, here’s Italian and German:

Italian: I have only safe sexFaccio solo sesso sicruo (pronounced Fah-choh sho-loh sehs-soh see-koo-roh)

German: Let’s use a condom Lass uns ein Kondom

benutzenAsia, the backpackers haven, poses a similar challenge to Europe. Occupying a broad swath of the globe, languages run the gamut from Mandarin to Punjabi to Tamil. Get started with some phonetic versions of Thai and Tagalog:

Thai: Let’s use a condomChai tung yahng gan teut

Tagalog: Do you have a condom?May kondom ka ba?

We never said it would be easy, and Africa poses another challenge. The local dialect isn’t something that you can find in a traveler’s guide. French is widely spoken throughout the continent and is a good safe bet. You can also prepare yourself with some Modern Standard Arabic in case you find yourself in Northern Africa.Phonetically, the word for condom in Arabic is Al-waa kee. To ask someone if they have something you would say Hal la-day-ku-mu. String it together and you’ve got “do you have a condom?

Finally, we are left with Antarctica. With no permanent residents, if you are visiting Antarctica you will likely find yourself in a population of cold, lonely research scientists who could be from anywhere across the globe. If you’re struggling to communicate with the lonely scientist of your choice, we suggest that you fall back on the ancient art of pantomime when things starting heating up.

There’s nothing as safe as being prepared and being ready to take your sexual health into your own hands.

Happy Trails!

Taken from the A Word.

August Bad Date Sheet 2009

2009-08-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

Bad Date Sheet –August 2009
If you would like to report a bad date please see staff at Exit, Safeworks, Calgary Drop in
Centre, Shift or other community partners. You can also call our 24 hour hot-line number
and leave a message. All of your calls will be anonymous and confidential. Call 403-237-
8171 and leave a description of the date, the vehicle they drove, and what happened.
Exit Van Cell: 512-9041 Safeworks: 850-3755 Shift: 237-8171

Date: July 14th 2009.
Description of event: A neighbor in Forest Lawn saw a man pick up a worker and drag her by
her hair into the vehicle.
Description of the date: The date was an older man with white hair and beard.
Description of the Vehicle: White minivan with dent in driver side door.
Date: June 20th or 21st 2009 between 10 and 11 am.
Description of event: The date met the worker at the Esso Truck stop. The worker agreed to
$40 for a blow job. After the services the date asked the worker to get out of the car without being
paid. The worker refused to leave the car; the date gave the worker a piece of paper and threw
her out of the car without payment.
Description of the date: The date was in late 40’s; he was chubby and appeared to be of Middle
Eastern descent. The date had curly black hair, and brown eyes. The date was wearing a blue
uniform. The date had a heavy accent and may have had a mustache.
Description of the Vehicle: A blue security company car there was reflective tape around the
car. The car was a four door, automatic vehicle.

Date: Middle of May 2009
Description of event: The date met the worker by Fort Calgary. The date and the worker
smoked crack together for several hours, the date requested oral sex numerous times. The date
drove the worker to Okotoks and told the worker to get out of the car. The date gave the worker
$40 for a cab.
Description of the date: The date was 57 year old black man, he weighed 195 pounds and was
5’10.
Description of the Vehicle: A dark green 1990 car with champagne sheets.
Date: April 2009 at 2:30 AM
Description of event: The date met the worker at the Shamrock bar after closing. The worker
agreed to $200 for a date. The date and the worker walked to the date’s apartment on Edmonton
Trail. The date was very nice to worker at first. When they got to the apartment the date ripped off
the worker’s shirt, slapped her, and held her by the throat. The date threatened to follow the
worker if she left; the date then raped the worker and held her hostage for three hours. When the
date’s roommates came home the worker was allowed to leave. It looked like there were several
people living in the rooming house.
Description of the date: The date was in his 20’s; he was a black man with a medium build. The
man was approximately 6’2 and had brown eyes.
Description of the Vehicle: On foot.

Date: End of April 2009
Description of event: Date tried to negotiate with worker from outside of the car to do a date for
$40. The worker refused and started to walk from Inglewood to the King Eddy area. The date
followed the worker, they were joking around while she was walking and the date was driving.
The date appeared to be very friendly and nice. The worker asked the date for a ride home, the
date agreed to drive the worker home. They went to a MACS store then he drove the worker to
South Calgary near Macleod and Anderson. The date drove through a bus trap and got out of the
vehicle to go to the bathroom. When the date came back to the car he stabbed the worker with a
knife. The date tied up her hands with his belt and then dropped her off and the Police found her.
Description of the date: The date said his name was Nicholas; he was 20 to 30 years old. The
man was white, cute, and young looking. His hair was cut short.
Description of the Vehicle: A grey car with automatic transmission, there was a GPS router on
the dash.

Date: June 1st 2009
Description of the event: The worker met the date on Centre Street and 14th Ave. they went to
Esso to get a drink and then they went to his apartment near 13th Ave and 5 or 6th street. The
worker agreed to a date for $100. Once they were having sex the worker noticed anger in the
date’s eyes, he then started to strangle her and the worker tried to stop having sex. The date then
raped the worker, the worker managed to run out of the apartment the date then caught her and
dragged her inside and threatened to kill her. The date stood on the workers chest and attempted
to bend her arm backwards. The worker eventually escaped and the date threw her clothes into
the hallway after her.
Description of the Date: The date appeared be a 22 year old white male with a thick French
accent. The date had brown eyes, short neat wavy dark hair. He was well built and attractive and
wearing a black parasuco t-shift, gold chain, dark black jeans, and black running shoes. The date
was around 5’5 or 5’6.

Date: Febuary.25th 2009
Description of event: Date picked up worker by Centre 15; he took the worker to the Cemetery
and attempted to rape the worker.
Description of the date: A 30ish man with a medium build and dark skin. The man appeared to
be of Philippine descent and had black eyes and hair.
Description of the Vehicle: Red Toyota Corolla, appeared to be a 90’s model of car.

What is the Shift program?
Shift offers support services to all people involved in the sex trade. Shift hopes to improve the
working conditions for people working by advocating, educating and empowering them to make
healthier choices. We work from a harm reduction and rights based approach and offer
nonjudgmental support, referrals, and outreach to people who are working in the sex trade
whether they want to exit or not. Shift also provides safer sex supplies such as condoms, flavored
condoms, lube and dental dams. Call us at 237-8171or email us at shift@aidscalgary.org
Drop in at 110, 1603, 10th avenue SW Tuesday to Friday 8:30 to 12:30 and 1:30 to 4:30.

Special thanks to all of our community partners for their help in collecting bad date
reports: Exit Community Outreach, Calgary Drop-in Centre, and Safeworks.

Safety while working

2009-07-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

Safety tips

As you all know just because you work indoors does not mean that you will not experience violence, law enforcement and unwelcome attention from clients. So how do you go about being safe? Here are a few suggestions and ideas for those of you who work indoors.

Screening

When your company is being requested you do not want to say yes too just anyone. Asking questions and gathering some information will help weed out the dates that are just going to waste your time or the ones who might be dangerous. Be confident when gathering this information and do not feel bad; if they are just looking to enjoy your company then they should have no problem providing you with this information:

- first and last name
- contact information (cell phone number, email address)
- driver’s license number (and check I.D. when you get there)
- if they are staying at a hotel get the room number and address (then call the front desk and confirm they are actually staying there)
- Ask if they are a member on any of the escort sites that you also use. If they are members look them up and check out there posts
- ask for references; at least 2 other workers that they have seen and contact those service providers to ask for a reference
- use the two call method: use the first call to set up the meeting and then have them call you once they are on a nearby street, when they call again you can provide them with the address or room number
- be clear and upfront about the services you do and don’t offer
- If they cannot or will not provide any information, too bad for them! If they are not willing to divulge any information then maybe their intentions aren’t great

Security calls: “trusted friend”

Your ‘trusted friend’ is someone who looks out for you. You call this person each time you have an appointment and they know where you are at all times. When you first arrive at an appointment (or your appointment arrives):
- call your trusted friend (in front of the client) and tell them you are with a client and what time you are expected to be done, ask them to call you if they don’t hear from you 5 minutes after the appointment is done.
- Once you leave your appointment, call them again to let them know you have finished your appointment. If they don’t answer when you call, pretend like they did so the client knows someone will miss you if you’re gone. Here’s a quick example:
“I’m with a client and I will be done at 3:00 p.m. I’ll call you when I’m done. If you don’t hear from me by 3:05 p.m. please call me”.
- Have a code phrase that you and your trusted friend know means that there is trouble. Try not to make it obvious it’s a code phrase because in the event you have to use this, the person you are with may get angrier with you and become violent. An example might be “Everything went exactly as I thought”, this sounds like something you might say normally but it’s understood between the two of you that something is wrong.

Once the lucky client has been screened and it’s all good to go, write down all of the information you have gathered on the client and give to your ‘trusted friend’ or leave it somewhere it can be seen in plain view just in case someone should comes to look for you. If your method of communication with the client has been via email or messenger, it’s a good idea to save a copy of that conversation as well.

Getting there

Although we can understand how convenient it is to drive yourself to appointments with your car this is not always recommended. Not only is it adding additional safety for yourself by having one more person who knows where you are, it also protects yourself from potential stalkers or creepy dates that may start to learn your car and movements. So, take a cab or better yet, hire a driver. If you have established a relationship with a driver, have him walk you to the door.

Once There

- Ask for some I.D. to make sure they are who they say they are, if they have good intentions then they should have no problem complying with this request.
- If you are doing an out-call, check the place out to make sure there’s no one else there.
- If you are doing an in-call, don’t let them move or adjust any of the furniture, remove all valuables and personal information (bills with your information on it, etc.), and lock your computer.
- Either way, in or out call, get them remove their clothes and place them in a closet or in another room. This can be taken as an ‘added touch’ to your client, make it seem like you are pampering them; either undress them and then take them to another room or, while they are showering take their clothes, fold them up nicely and leave them in a closet. This is for your safety, to ensure they are not bringing in any unwanted toys or weapons.
- Pay attention to where they are and what they are doing at all times!
- If you are going to be drinking ANYTHING (water included) watch your drink at all times, including when it is being poured.
- Do not allow tie-ups, fisting or the use of toys until you have had a few sessions with that client and a certain level of trust has been established.

Other Tips

- It is not recommended that you carry any weapons – they can be turned against you if you are over powered. However, if you feel the need it is a good idea to get something like pepper spray that is in a different container or easy to conceal or hide in places where you can reach it if needed.
- Take some self defense classes, they are fairly inexpensive and can be found in a number of places around the city. Call 311 for more informaiton
- Communicate with your peers! Use the ‘blacklist’ on peer sites and talk to other service provider’s about your bad dates. Call the SHIFT program to report your bad date at 403-237-8171 or online at www.shiftcalgary.org, give the description of the client, what happened, where you saw him/met him – it’s entirely anonymous and it may help a fellow worker avoid a bad situation in the future.
- Try to avoid taking drugs or consuming alcohol before or during a date. Being under the influence can cloud your judgment which may lead to you agreeing to provide services you normally wouldn’t agree to and it can be harder to fight back if you need to. Better to be sober and in control at all times.

Is the Recession Impacting Sex Workers?

2009-06-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

Shift has seen an increase in indoor workers seeking financial assistance and financial counseling since fall 2008. During the same time period the US was starting to call the economic downturn an official recession and Canada was close to follow suit. Many individuals that were seeking financial resources through Shift said that some of their regulars had become significantly less regular with their own individual economic hardships. Some individuals said that it seemed that there had been more competition for clients in massage parlors and in street level sex work. Some Sex Workers also reported that they themselves had lost income in their own investments.

In an article in Huffpost, “Sex Workers Getting Fucked by the Economy”, David Henry Sterry discusses the expectations that clients have towards Sex Workers and how those expectations have changed due to the recession. The author conducted interviews with Sex Workers in the US and many of them report to receiving significantly less compensation for services rendered and have been feeling increased pressure to look into other areas of work due to lack of demand (1). The National Counsel of Women in New Zealand released a press release on International Women’s Day calling attention to issues associated with the recession and its impact on Sex Workers. The counsel reports that women have been asked to negotiate compromising deals in order to generate income with clients, and also that Sex Workers in China were feeing increased pressure to perform bareback services.(2)

If you are experiencing financial difficulties you might be wondering what resources are available for Sex Workers in Alberta?

The type of government resources available to you depend on the area of Sex Work that you work in and if you have filed a tax return. It is recommended that if you are applying for Social Assistance that you contact Shift to assist with the application.

Employment Insurance: In order to qualify for Employment Insurance:
· You must have been employed by an agency or massage parlor
· You must have received a pay check from which tax was deducted (this is not applicable if you were considered a contract worker) and have been laid off by that agency.
· You must have filed a tax return. (3)

Alberta Works: Income support for people who are either unable to work due to injury or illness, or for people who have not been able to find employment. Residents of Alberta can qualify. The amount of money allocated per month is very low, but could be helpful in a time of emergency.

AISH: Income support for individuals with severe and long term disabilities.

There are also several community based resources available. Shift is experienced in providing support around budgeting, and can provide referrals to other community based programs to assist with finances and basic needs.

Impact on Health

Financial stress can be extremely detrimental to an individual’s well-being and mental and physical health. Carrying the burden of unpaid bills or fear of losing belongings can disrupt a persons mental health and may lead to anxiety, depression, and an increase in use of drugs and alcohol.(4) If you are feeling the burden of financial difficulties you can contact Shift or for 24 hour phone support you can reach the Distress Centre at 403-266-1605

For more information:

Money Matters: STAR Sex Trade Advocacy and Research
http://web2.uwindsor.ca/courses/sociology/maticka/star/pdfs/money_matters.pdf

Employment Insurance
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/menu/eihome.shtml

Alberta Works
http://employment.alberta.ca/cps/rde/xchg/hre/hs.xsl/3171.html

AISH
http://www.seniors.gov.ab.ca/AISH/

Resources:
Sterry (03/11/09) Sex Workers Getting Fucked by Limp Economy. Huffington Post retrieved 03/23/09 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-henry-sterry/sex-workers-getting-fcked_b_173730.html
National Council of Women New Zealand. (03/06/2009) Prostitution Hits Big in Recession. Retrieved 03/23/09 http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0903/S00067.htm
STAR Sex Trade Advocacy and Research. (09/2004) Money Matters retrieved 03/23/09 http://web2.uwindsor.ca/courses/sociology/maticka/star/pdfs/money_matters.pdf
Reardon (03/2009) March/April Social Work Today. Economic Squeeze — The Recession’s Impact on Behavioral Health. Retrieved 03/23/09 http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/031109p12.shtml

Escort Licensing

2009-06-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

The law around sex work in Canada can be complicated and confusing. Particularly in Calgary where we have two different types of legalities to be concerned with: City Bylaws and the Criminal Code of Canada. This article will discuss Calgary Bylaws as they relate to indoor escorts. This article is in no way to act a legal document, for further information you can contact the City of Calgary business licenses department at 403-268-5521.

In order to work in Calgary as an escort and be legal with bylaws you must have an escort license, which is distributed by the City of Calgary. There are two ways to obtain a license, as an employee of an escort agency or through self-employment.

Requirements if Employed by an Agency:
18 years of age or older
Maintain a permanent residence in Calgary
Licensing and police check fees must be paid (fees are non-refundable)
$120 for license
$35 for police check
Statutory declaration form signed by a commissioner of oath (you can get this when you apply)
Letter of employment from agency
2 pieces of official ID
Calgary Police Service Security check

If you are already employed by an agency, call 268-5311 to set up an appointment to apply for your license. The office is located on the 3rd floor at 800 Macleod Trail SE. Bring all required documents with you and be prepared to receive and fill out additional forms once there.

Requirements if Self-Employed:
18 years of age or above
Maintain a permanent residence in Calgary
Licensing and police check fees must be paid at the time of application. (fees are non-refundable)
$120 for license
$35 for police check
You will also need to pay for a business license. This includes a fire check of $80 to approve your commercial space.
Statutory declaration form signed by a commissioner of oath (you can get this when you apply)
2 pieces of official ID
Calgary Police Service Security check
You must have an approved (licensed) commercial space; this can not be your home. You will need to apply for two licenses: one as an escort and one for an agency. You are considered an agency even if you are the only one working from that commercial space.

What is a police check?
You will complete a form for the Calgary Police Services. This is a basic background check that will show up any past criminal behavior. Be sure to clear up any warrants before you apply. If you have outstanding warrants you can be taken into custody while you are applying.

There are no set standards about what types of criminal activities can be used to deny a person their license. Even if a person has worked through the Alternative Measures Program they could still be denied. If the police do not recommend you for a license, your application will be denied.

What can I do if my application is denied due to my police check?
All applications can be appealed, free of cost, within 30 days of your denial. To make your appeal you will call the Chief License Inspector (268-5367). They will hear your case, and make a recommendation. If they feel that your charges are past issues and will not interfere with your ability to work, you can be granted you license. In some cases they will approve a license with conditions.

If they do not approve you, you can appeal once again to a higher body. This will cost you more money.

What happens if I get caught working without a license?
Occasionally Bylaw and Vice will work together and will set up dates with escorts. If you are caught working without a license you can be charged with bylaw offences. There may also be charges laid for violating the Canada Criminal Code.

Shift is available to help you through the process of applying for your escort license. We can help you fill out necessary forms and paperwork, accompany you to the licensing office, and develop your appeal if your license is denied. We are here to provide any support you may need throughout the process.

Source:

The City of Calgary Business Licenses retrieved 03/23/09 http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_780_237_0_43/http%3B/content.calgary.ca/CCA/City+Hall/Business+Units/Development+and+Building+Approvals+and+Land+Use+Planning+and+Policy/Business+Licences/Business+Licences.htm

Sex Work and Canada Revenue

2009-06-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

Can Sex Workers submit a tax return?

Yes, Sex Workers can file taxes and for many people there could be benefits for doing so. There are many government programs that are only available to people who file a tax return. Also, if you want to buy a car, home, or apply for a loan you will need to have an Income Tax Summery, which you will receive each year after you file your taxes.

Will Sex Workers face legal consequences if they file their taxes?

No, Canada Revenue is not concerned with the employment that generated income.(1) However, you could be charged with tax evasion if you do not file taxes and are caught having an income that you are not reporting to CRA. This could result in fines or even jail time. If you are working in an agency or massage parlor and you have a license CRA theoretically has access to the City of Calgary’s data base of people with adult services licenses. (2) If you are working for an agency or parlor that is giving you a paycheck and a T4 the income is being reported to CRA and it would be advantageous to prepare a return.

What are the benefits of filing your taxes?

In some cases you can use your business tools as a write off, such as vehicle, advertising, or computer. Just make sure that you keep your receipts.

If you have children you could apply to receive Universal Child Tax Benefits and also Alberta Child Tax Credit. You also will need to have your taxes completed if you were to decide to return to school and wanted to apply for Student Loans and Bursaries. Some community services are only available for people who have a tax summery, so it is good to have this available in the event you ever need to apply for assistance.

If you pay your taxes, you will be contributing to Canada Pension Plan and will be eligible to receive CPP. This will entitle you to receive financial assistance when you retire.

Where can I receive assistance for tax preparation?

The Shift program is able to provide assistance for people with basic tax returns. This includes people with T4s this may include people paid by an agency or massage parlor. We can also assist people currently receiving social assistance, or people with low income. If you are an independent worker it would be advisable to contact an accountant in order to maximize your possible business expenses and refund.

Sources:
Sex Professionals of Canada. Tax Return Information for Sex Workers retrieved 03/23/09. http://spoc.ca/resources.html
STAR: Sex Trade Advocacy and Referral. Money Matters. (September 2004) Retrieved 03/23/09 http://web2.uwindsor.ca/courses/sociology/maticka/star/pdfs/money_matters_prnt.pdf

Introduction to Shift

2009-05-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

What is Shift?

The Shift program works with men, women, and transgendered/sexual individuals who are actively involved in sex work, or who have a history of being involved in sex work. The Shift program works with individuals to help met their individualized goals, and to help people improve the quality of their lives. Shift has based its programming on a philosophy of human rights and harm reduction. Shift uses outreach and case management services to help people meet their goals. We are able to provide assistance with legal issues, financial needs, advocacy, information and referral, health issues, bad dates, safer sex materials, counselling and support. All of our services are free and confidential.

Our Philosophies:

At Shift we believe that sex work is work, we also recognize that people involved with sex work come from a diversity of backgrounds and have a variety of reasons for working in sex work. At Shift we define sex work to include all areas of the adult entertainment industry including; massage parlors, escort agencies, independent escorts, chat and webcam workers, adult film stars, and street level sex workers. We also believe that with any profession there are positive and negative aspects to the work. Every individual involved in sex work will have a different history and story; we believe that there is a spectrum of situations as it relates to sex work. We meet with individuals whom identify sex work as a business and a choice, we also work with people who are sex workers as a means of survival and may not identify this as a choice. The bottom line is that Shift recognizes that individuals will identify their own situations and goals.

What can you expect from our blog?

Shift will be sharing current information on issues, policies, laws, news, and philosophies as it relates to and impacts on sex work and sex workers. Shift understands that 90% of the sex industry involves indoor Sex Workers, many of whom utilize the internet as their main mode of business. This goal of this blog is to join with the already existing on-line community of sex work. If you have an idea for an article that you would like to have included in the blog you can email it to info@shiftcalgary.org. If you would like to have our blog emailed to you or would like to receive out monthly bad date sheet please email us and ask to be added to our distribution list, all of your contact information will remain confidential.