Indigenous sex workers and Canadian outreach programs: A critical review of Canadian outreach programs and their accessibility to Indigenous sex workers

Abstract

Indigenous sex workers are subject to colonial rule over their lives through Canadian law. Canadian colonial law restricts the agency of Indigenous sex workers resulting in a hazardous working environment. Outreach programs in Canada are vital resources in ensuring that Indigenous sex workers are provided with a safe working environment through occupational safety precautions. Understanding how outreach programs resist or invoke Bill C-36 is crucial to discover whether or not they create a safe environment for Indigenous sex workers. In this article, I critically review the policies of four outreach programs across Canada: Maggie’s Toronto, Hope Restored Canada, PACE (Providing Advocacy, Counseling and Education) Society, and Exit Doors Here. Their connection to Canadian law will be reviewed to discover whether or not they work from a decriminalization and a decolonial framework or reinforce Bill C-36. The following questions are asked of the outreach programs: (1) are they positioned as prohibitionists or are they aiming for sex work decriminalization? and (2) do they respect and support the voices of Indigenous sex workers? This article is premised on providing information for individuals who may have an impact on outreach program policies, in terms of how to improve accessibility to Indigenous sex workers.