Gillies and Bruckert

Pimps, Partners, and Procurers - ch 6

Main argument and purpose of the chapter

• Not everyone who assists a sex worker is exploitative or abusive.

• Third parties can provide valuable services that improve workers' safety and working conditions.

• Sex workers have agency and can choose who they work with and what relationships they maintain.

• Canadian laws often ignore thes

Different types of third-party relationships

1. street managers

2. intimate partners

3. manager-partner relationships

4. drug dealers

5. contractors

6. peer facilitators

street managers

• Providing protection and security.

• Recording client information.

• Offering safety advice.

intimate partners

• Provide financial support.

• Help with childcare and household responsibilities.

• Drive workers to appointments.

Key finding: Abuse can occur in sex workers' intimate relationships, just as it can in relationships outside the sex industry.

Drug dealers

• Connect sex workers with clients.

• Provide locations to meet clients.

• Offer protection.

Contractors

• Provide security.

• Remain nearby during appointments.

• Record clients' licence plate information.

Peer facilitators

They may provide:

• Client connections.

• Security.

• Advice and mentorship.

Procuring (Section 286.3)

involves causing, inducing, or influencing someone to provide sexual services for payment, as well as facilitating the purchase of sexual services.

• The authors explain that this provision can criminalize people who provide legitimate assistance.

Material benefits (Section 286.2)

criminalizes receiving financial or other material benefits from someone else's sex work, subject to certain exceptions.

• The authors argue that this law assumes that people receiving money from sex workers must be exploiting them.

The problem with the PCEPA legislation

Although PCEPA introduced exceptions to the material-benefits offence, the authors argue that these exceptions are limited.

Some exceptions include:

• Legitimate living arrangements: Receiving financial benefits through a legitimate domestic or living relationship.

• Legal or moral obligations: Receiving support because of a legal or moral responsibility.

• Publicly available services: Receiving payment for goods or services offered to the general public.

consequences of criminalizing third partie

1. reduced security

2. social isolation

3. reduce police protection

4. increased vulnerability

5. loss of agency

6. increased stigma

Particularly important: Domestic violence

criminalizing partners through pimping-related laws can discourage sex workers from reporting domestic violence.