This chapter offers specific and practical advice for:

• People who wish to open a business within the sex industry,
• Improving or reaffirming your image as an already established business among industry members,
• Increasing your earnings, and
• Being an ethical employer.

Companies that treat their workers well and provide safe and sanitary workspaces make more money because the customers keep coming back for the happy workers.

Some things won’t apply to your particular business. Be sure to read Chapter 9 – Our Businesses – for additional business advice. See Chapter 8 – Our Rights and Responsibilities – for legal topics relating to your particular business.

Sex workers in all areas of the industry need safe spaces to work. We appreciate a good boss like all employees. Many workers do not want to deal with the day to day grind of posting ads, arranging film shoots or booking gigs dancing in show lounges.

We appreciate having the option to work for someone else who manages our bookings and saves us time. Many of us get into this business for the freedom both economically and in terms of time that sex work offers.

Please feel free to contact the BCCEC www.bccec.wordpress.com if you are experiencing any challenges as a sex industry business owner and are unclear how to address them. Also, we are happy to offer input for new business owners as well. We can provide information for current or new business owners on how to be ethical and how to navigate city business licensing or police interactions.

New understanding among police services in BC mean that you as a sex industry business owner in BC no longer have to worry about broad police action against sex industry businesses. The new “lowest level of enforcement” policy applies to 45 police services and the e-division of the RCMP across the province. Police want sex workers and sex industry business owners to know that they take crimes against us seriously and that people should feel safe accessing police supports should they need them.

This is a new policy and as such there may still be some issues as we move forward towards decriminalization and self determination for our industry. Please, call us if you feel you have been treated unfairly or need support or information on the new policy which governs policing our industry. bccec

Thank you for creating safe space for sex workers!! We appreciate it!!!!