Are you the Victim of a crime?
If you are a sex industry worker and have been the victim of a crime,
YOU DO QUALIFY FOR SUPPORT and YOU DO HAVE RIGHTS!
No matter what you are told to the contrary, help is available through VictimLINK and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. Sex industry workers may feel frustrated when dealing with the criminal justice system after being a victim of crime. As sex industry workers we often experience added trauma as we are judged or devalued because of our occupation and the prejudices of others during the process. Lack of education and understanding has made it difficult for sex industry workers to access Victim Services and the supports that are available for ALL victims of crime.
The BC Government has programs created specifically for victims and this document has been created to support you in accessing these programs. However, you should be prepared for delays as some barriers still exist. The following information should assist you on your journey.
Remember that you are strong, you are powerful and resourceful. No one and nothing can ever take that from you.
NEED TO MOVE? Safety Planning can make it easier!
Are you experiencing domestic violence? Or another form of exploitation or violence and need to move safely? If you are unsure how to plan your move or would like some ideas on things to consider, the “Safety Planning Tool” can provide guidance as a template.
Collaborative Safety Planning Tool
This tool was created for use by Support Agencies when working with sex workers. If you are on your own or do not wish to connect with support organizations, you can use the template to think about your plan for leaving. It discusses how to make sure you can leave safely and not further jeopardize yourself. Things like where to go, do people know you are a sex worker, who can you trust…. It’s way to help you outline a plan which covers all your bases.
If you have any questions, feel unsafe while planning or need to be referred to support services for safety planning help, please feel free to contact us and we will do whatever we can to help!
Are you experiencing Harassment?
We are currently working to address issues of harassment in our industry, If you are experiencing harassment or cyber bullying and are not sure what to do, please reach out to us and we will share some techniques for dealing with it.
We hope to have a more comprehensive safety strategy for people experiencing harassment in the very near future but in the mean time remember, those people who harass are cowards. You are powerful and resilient, you will make it through this!
Are you in Vancouver?
The Vancouver Police and the City of Vancouver are committed to sex worker safety and ensuring we have safe places to work.
If you are experiencing bias from City Inspectors or Licensing staff please report it to the Naked Truth Support Team and we will connect you to the dedicated sex work planning staff members.
The Vancouver police recognize that there is work to be done to earn the trust of our community but want you to know that they are here if you are the victim of a crime or experiencing exploitation. Their priority is not your job, their priority is to protect your safety.
If you are uncomfortable with reporting to police directly you can report to the Naked Truth Support Team or a sex worker organization.
CONTACTThe Vancouver Police also have an embedded victims services section who will respect your wishes and confidentiality when reporting crimes. Please call 911 if you have experienced a crime and they will connect you with the relevant VPD section to the crime you have experienced…. if you feel comfortable…. and if not we will be happy to connect you to other resources.
We are not afraid
If you are experiencing bias or lack of action when trying to report crimes, exploitation or bias from police and city staff in your area and do not know how to proceed, please reach out to the Naked Truth Support Team.
We will help you to examine your options and if you consent, we will attempt to intervene on your behalf. If you are uncomfortable with formal action, we will save your experiences for use in future actions to address harms caused by bias among mainstream systems like the police and city staff.
Reach out if you are unsure. We have all been there. Together we can change the cycle of violence and protect each other. We are a community and you matter.
CONTACTBackground & Acknowledgements
The BCCEC and The TNT Media Collective would like to acknowledge the Vancouver Police and the City of Vancouver for their willingness — at critical moments — to think differently and engage in difficult conversations. The past two decades have been emotional and complex. We have come through challenging discussions together and have found common ground in the health and safety of sex working people.
There have been setbacks. There has been misconduct. There has been indifference. And yet, through persistence and dialogue, we have built policy frameworks intended to improve safety and reduce harm.
However, progress is not linear.
We are seeing signs of backsliding. Violence is beginning to increase again in some areas. Fear remains present — fear among sex workers about interacting with police; fear among police about fully understanding the realities of sex workers’ lives; and uncertainty among city staff about how best to balance exploitation concerns with human rights and safety.
The policies created by the City and Police in the wake of the Case of the Missing Women have been tried, stretched, and tested. They were hard-won. Their effectiveness depends on continued commitment, vigilance, and accountability. Safety cannot be assumed. It must be actively maintained.
Thanks to the dedication of certain sections and individuals — inside institutions and within our community — we continue to weather difficult periods. But the situation remains fragile.
Moving forward into uncertain territory takes courage. The processes and policies currently in place are not perfect, and they require ongoing evaluation and reinforcement. Where they are implemented in good faith, they can reduce harm. Where attention fades, risk returns.
The policy of “lowest level of enforcement” has been adopted across British Columbia and referenced by jurisdictions beyond Canada. Some cities are recognizing the dangerous impacts of abolition-based approaches and broad criminalization, and are choosing to avoid repeating the mistakes that led to tragedy in Vancouver. But these approaches remain contested, and the broader legal environment continues to create instability.
Decriminalization remains the only durable path forward.
This is the legacy of the sex workers who died under the weight of stigma, criminalization, and systemic neglect. It took their lives — and the horrific details of their deaths — to move institutions and communities toward change.
The killings continue in other places. And even here, peace cannot be taken for granted.
We commit to preserving and strengthening the gains that have been made in Vancouver, and to bringing reason and evidence-based approaches to enforcement in other parts of Canada. We will honor the price that so many paid to push this conversation forward.
We are grateful to live in a city that has, at times, shown openness and willingness to engage. But gratitude does not replace vigilance. Safety requires sustained effort from all of us.
The Naked Truth Support Team remains here to help. Please contact us to be connected to resources in your area, and feel free to browse the sex work–friendly supports we continue to gather and share by region.
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