“It Is Important for Everyone as Humans to Feel Important, Right?” Findings from a Community-Based Participatory Needs Assessment with Street-level Sex Workers

Authors

Jodi Hall, Faculty of Health, Community Studies and Public Safety
Lorie Donelle, The University of Western OntarioFollow
Debbie Laliberte Rudman, The University of Western Ontario
Julie Baumann, SafeSpace London
Holly Weaver, SafeSpace London
Rosalie Jones, SafeSpace London
Magdalen Moulton-Sauve, SafeSpace London
Karen Jenkins, Faculty of Health Science, Human Services and Nursing
Annalise Trudell, The University of Western Ontario

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2-2020

Journal

Social Work in Public Health

Volume

35

Issue

1-2

First Page

33

Last Page

46

URL with Digital Object Identifier

10.1080/19371918.2020.1733163

Abstract

A community-based participatory research design informed the development and conduct of a needs assessment with street-level sex workers within a mid-sized city in Ontario, Canada. The research question was: What would help street-level sex workers to live with enhanced safety and dignity within their community? Twenty-four women who accessed a peer-driven drop-in center (SafeSpace) participated in in-depth interviews. Observational data of items requested by women who accessed SafeSpace were also documented over a 6-month time period. The overarching theme of relationships was identified as vital to participants’ ability to live and work with enhanced safety and dignity in their community. Subthemes included: Informal/formal surveillance: Relationships to public space(s); Nowhere to go for us: Relationships with/in community services; and You’re given the time you need: Relationships in a peer-driven drop-in center for/with/by sex workers. Our findings demonstrate how central relationships are, particularly peer, to enhancing or diminishing sex workers’ sense of dignity, self-worth, safety, and enhanced their access to services.