By Alice Musabende
Everyone knows first-date tips. Some have blind-date tips. Sex workers in Ottawa have what they call “bad-date tips.”
Sex workers refer to their meetings with clients as a “date.” And now, Ottawa police have introduced a new toll-free number to allow prostitutes to anonymously report assaults after a bad date.
When they phone the number, prostitutes reach an automatic voice mailbox where they are encouraged to leave detailed information about the assault and the offender.
Police use the information to conduct investigations.
To date, the Ottawa Police haven’t received any messages at the toll-free number., says Det. David Christie of the Ottawa Police Sexual Assault and Child Abuse section.
For the sex workers, it all starts with a bad day at work.
“If I was assaulted today, I wouldn’t report it, because it’s hard to prove and they would see me as a liar,’’ says one sex trade worker who granted an interview on condition she not be named.
The toll-free line was launched recently by the Ottawa Police Service in partnership with Operation Go Home, the Elizabeth Fry Society and the Ottawa Hospital.
“It was an idea that we thought may assist in increasing the amount of sexual assault reports that we may get from sex trade workers,” Christie says.
“We didn’t expect that it was going to be like a call every single day. We are hoping that people aren’t being assaulted every single night,” Christie says.
According to police, crimes involving prostitutes in Ottawa have increased from 180 in 2003 to about 200 so far in 2006. And police say the actual number of incidents may be much higher, as sex trade workers are vulnerable targets and often do not report assaults.
“People out there think that prostitutes can’t be raped because they’re paid to do that job,” says one 24-year old prostitute who usually works out of a bar near the market.
The Ottawa Police bad-date line isn’t the only place where prostitutes can turn if they are victims of assault.
Sex workers can get both medical care and complete confidentiality at the Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care program, located in the emergency department of the Ottawa Hospital.
“Because the people that we see are badly injured, everything we offer them is their choice,” says Christine Wood, a sexual assault nurse at the Ottawa Hospital.
“If they want to go to the police, we offer them evidence collection; we can open up a sexual assault evidence kit and collect all the forensic evidence from their body.”
Wood has been working in this section for nine years.
She says that the job demands much more of her than simply nursing.
“I guess I am a strong person,” she says. “But I need to help them feel better.”
Wood emphasizes how the Sexual Assault Program differs from other emergency services.
“It’s safe to go to the hospital. We’re not going to call police on you and you’re going to be treated like a person,” she says.
“We’ll treat you for the assault, we’re not going to tell you you shouldn’t have been doing this or that. It’s none of our business. We are there to help them, not to judge them.”
Sex trade workers who are assaulted can call 1-800-303-5407 or visit the Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care program at the Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital.