Research

Access to safe, voluntary and sex work-friendly sexual health testing is one of many occupational health and safety priorities for sex workers. In the context of ongoing criminalization and occupational stigma, the AESHA Project explored sex workers’ access to HIV/STI testing. Learn more in this infographic!

AESHA project data shows that im/migrant sex workers are 2.5 times more likely to experience client condom refusal and twice as likely to have gaps in health care insurance coverage. To find out more about health barriers among im/migrant sex workers in Metro Vancouver, check out the infographic. Available in English and Chinese! AESHA项目研究结果表明：移民/移居性工作者和非移民性工作者相比，在工作中有2.5倍的可能性被客人拒绝使用安全套，并且有超过2倍的可能性缺少医疗保险。请看下面的资讯图表来了解关于更多大温地区移民/移居性工作者在健康方面面临的障碍。有英文和中文!

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 200 Vancouver-based sex workers answered survey questions about potential changes faced in working conditions, income, food security, and access to services during the pandemic, as part of the AESHA study. Learn about the findings and recommendations in this infographic!

The AESHA Project stands in solidarity with their unhoused neighbours in the Downtown Eastside. AESHA data shows that police-enforced displacement increases rates of gender-based violence & health inequities for those living in the region. Instead, they recommend creating dignified, non-carceral forms of permanent housing for all.

Based on data collected from over 900 women sex workers (2010-2019), the AESHA project found that there is a link between housing precarity & violence among women sex workers in Vancouver. Learn more about the findings and recommendations in this infographic.

Since 2014, sex work in Canada has been regulated under a legal framework known as ‘end-demand criminalization’. A central part of this framework is to criminalize sex workers’ clients. Drawing on 47 in-depth interviews with sex workers and third parties (e.g. managers & phone handlers), here are some key findings by the AESHA Project on the topic of client criminalization.

Despite decades of advocacy by sex workers & allies, ongoing criminalization of sex work and occupational stigma hinder sex workers’ ability to collectivize & access support services. “Community participation” has been shown to enhance sex workers’ occupational health, safety & wellbeing around the globe.

Sex workers globally have faced disproportionate health and social inequities primarily caused by high levels of criminalization, policing, stigma and limited investment in community-based sex work support services.

End-demand sex work laws are informed by myths, misinformation and the conflation of sex work with sex trafficking. Sex work third parties like managers/venue owners, website providers and security guards are criminalized and stigmatized. This cycle of criminalization and stigmatization amplifies dangers for sex workers and hinder sex workers’ access to occupational health and safety.

Sex workers who use drugs face significant barriers to harm reduction resources as both sex work and drug use are criminalized. This AESHA Project Infographic summarizes the harms of policing and criminalization for sex workers who use drugs.