In recent weeks, the London Police Service has announced its policy to publicly release the names and photographs of those charged with communicating with the purpose of obtaining sexual services in the London/Middlesex region. Local news sources have already begun to follow this practice and have published the names of four individuals after the first so called ‘john sting’ at a local hotel.
Maggie’s: Toronto Sex Workers Action Project stands in alliance with SafeSpace London to call for the end of this problematic policy. Such a policy negatively affects the working lives, safety, and security of sex workers in London, Ontario, and further criminalizes the industry. Instead of ‘protecting’ sex workers, this policy pushes sex workers further underground, out of bounds of employment rights and police protection. Releasing the names of those charged with communicating with the purpose of obtaining sexual services will force sex workers to negotiate terms with their clients in secret, accept clients without any identification and work in isolated spaces. Furthermore, the conflation of human trafficking with consensual sex work is deeply inaccurate and ignores the agency and dignity of those that choose to sell their sexual services for consideration, along with the structural inequalities which surround the industry.
Given the risks this policy creates, Maggie’s and SafeSpace also urges local media sources to refrain from publishing any further names of those charged with communicating with the purpose of obtaining sexual services. Attached to this statement is a fact sheet for the media, outlining the risks of harm of law enforcement protection to sex workers and their communities. We encourage journalists to read this and consider the harm being done to sex workers in their communities.
Maggie’s firmly believes that sex workers and SafeSpace London should have been consulted in this decision by the London Police Services Board, as the decision greatly impacts and involves sex workers in the London community. Given the risks this policy creates, Maggie’s:
Calls for the reversal of this policy immediately.
Urges local media sources to refrain from publishing any further names of those charged with communicating with the purpose of obtaining sexual services.
Encourages the public to participate in Safespace’s petition to reverse this policy, accessible at: https://www.change.org/p/help-make-sex-work-safer-in-london-calling-for-the-lps-to-reverse-their-policy-direction