By Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Tyee Violence against sex workers has been increasing in Vancouver as government support for organizations supporting sex workers shrinks. When governments cut their budgets, funding for organizations that support sex workers are often the first to be cut and the last to be re-funded, experts told The Tyee. That means extremely marginalized sex workers are losing access to some of the only services that protect their health and safety. Experts say this puts sex workers\u2019 lives at risk \u2014 and is already leading to an increase in violence. One of the few protections sex workers have when doing street-based sex work is to talk with a client before getting into a car, said Susan Davis, who is the executive director for the… <\/p>\n
By Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Tyee Violence against sex workers has been increasing in Vancouver as government support for organizations supporting sex workers shrinks. When governments cut their budgets, funding for organizations that support sex workers are often the first to be cut and the last to be re-funded, experts told The Tyee. That means extremely marginalized sex workers are losing access to some of the only services that protect their health and safety. Experts say this puts sex workers\u2019 lives at risk \u2014 and is already leading to an increase in violence. One of the few protections sex workers have when doing street-based sex work is to talk with a client before getting into a car, said Susan Davis, who is the executive director for the... <\/p>\n