Girls lured to sex parties in West Shore
Young women exploited, constantly face violence, sex-trade study says
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Friday, November 03, 2006

Young women are being lured into the sex trade at parties held in the West Shore and Sooke, says a hard-hitting report on violence against sexually exploited youth and sex-trade workers, released yesterday.

The report, Violence in the Lives of Sexually Exploited Youth and Adult Sex Workers in B.C., was written by the Justice Institute of B.C, which conducted dozens of interviews in five communities, including Victoria and Campbell River

It reveals a common thread of violence against sex-trade workers, whether at parties in the bush or the stroll in Victoria's industrial area.

In Greater Victoria a major concern is youth moving to outlying areas, such as the western municipalities, and falling off the radar screen. "Service providers talked about young girls, who get to be known in the party circuit and get invited to 'work' at parties throughout the western communities, where they face violence and abuse on a regular basis," the report says. "Key informants reported one specific case in which a group of men have been exploiting girls for more than 10 years out of the same location in the Western Communities. The police have tried to intervene, but have been unable to put a stop to it."

In Victoria, the report points to increased swarmings against young women, violence by racial minority gangs and increased violence against sex-trade workers when large numbers of sailors are in town.

In Campbell River, the concerns are competing gangs selling drugs or controlling sex workers and an escalation of crimes involving weapons such as crowbars and knives.

Throughout B.C., a picture emerges of early sexual abuse, usually by family members, leading to more formal exploitation.

"I started prostitution after my stepfather kept paying me for my services," one woman said. "I figured if he paid for sex, other men would. So that's how I started when I was 15."

In Greater Victoria, the report calls for more communication between police and organizations in different areas, creation of a special squad to specifically deal with sex workers and sexually exploited youth, and public acknowledgment of the problem by high profile community members.

Jody Paterson, executive director of Prostitutes Empowerment Education and Resource Society (PEERS), said the report documents the need to address early violence in the home so problems do not filter down to the next generation.

But before problems can be addressed, it is essential the community first acknowledges that prostitution exists, she said.

"We can't continue to force it into the dark, where it can't be seen."

© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2006