Skip to main content

Workplace Violence among Female Sex Workers Who Use Drugs in Vancouver, Canada: Does Client Targeted Policing Increase Safety?

Resource type
Date created
2017-11-06
Authors/Contributors
Author: Shannon, K.
Author: Nosova, E.
Author: DeBeck, K.
Author: Milloy, M-J.
Author: Kerr, T.
Author: Hayashi, K.
Abstract
Workplace violence, by clients or predators, poses serious negative health consequences for sex workers. In 2013, the Vancouver (British Columbia), Canada Police Department changed their guidelines with the goal of increasing safety for sex workers by focusing law enforcement on clients and third parties, but not sex workers. We sought to examine the trends and correlates of workplace violence among female sex workers (FSW) before and after the guideline change, using data collected from prospective cohorts of persons who use illicit drugs in Vancouver, Canada. Among 259 FSW, 21.0% reported workplace violence at least once during the study period between 2008 and 2014. There was no statistically significant change in rates of workplace violence after the guideline change. In our multivariable analysis, daily heroin use was independently associated with workplace violence. The 2013 policing guideline change did not appear to have resulted in decreased reports of workplace violence. Increased access to opioid agonist therapies may reduce workplace violence among drug-using FSW.
Document
Published as
Prangnell A, Shannon K, Nosova E, DeBeck K, Milloy MJ, Kerr T, Hayashi K. Workplace violence among female sex workers who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada: Does client targeted policing increase safety? Journal of Public Health Policy, 2017 Nov 6. PMID: 29109517
Publication title
Journal of Public Health Policy
Document title
Workplace Violence among Female Sex Workers Who Use Drugs in Vancouver, Canada: Does Client Targeted Policing Increase Safety?
Date
2017
Copyright statement
Copyright is held by the author(s).
Scholarly level
Peer reviewed?
Yes
Language
English
Member of collection
Download file Size
final_version_-_workplace_violence.pdf 133.49 KB

Views & downloads - as of June 2023

Views: 0
Downloads: 0