BC Coalition of Experiential Communities

Willie Pickton’s Appeal March 30 2009

Willie Pickton’s appeal date is set to begin: March 30, 2009 in Vancouver. Community members, advocates and activists are coming together to support the families of the still missing and the women and girls who lost their lives. 

Supporters and organizers will meet at the Vancouver Law Courts – Supreme Court side March 30, 9:00 am, 800 Smithe Street and will show and express their support by inviting speakers and drumming, singing until noon.

Supporters living outside outside of Vancouver, for example in Toronto, are organizing a rally on the same day to show their alliance with the grassroots movement here and for the missing and murdered women.  Contact:  Robyn:  416-534-9485.

It is said that this appeal process may take up to 9 days.

Mark

I understand you were upset after being asked to
leave the prostitution forum held recently at SFU Downtown campus. This request
for media to leave obviously has caused you some anguish and in return because
you are a journalist at the Vancouver Courier this provided you a forum like a
petulant little boy to lash out at those you consider responsible for your
expulsion. moreover, you have I believe mis-used your paper to get back at those
who you dis-agree with.

Your journalistic integrity though suffers a blow
when instead of writing a piece on your observations, you resort to name-calling
and an all out attack on those who favour a harm reduction approach to the
prostitution issue here in Vancouver.

In no particular order here are my
thoughts on your story.

First you call a number of us who you ‘pro
prostitution’ as ‘old white women’. This is pathetic journalism as well as being
inaccurate. Those speaking at the forum who are in favour of a harm reduction
approach include Julie from the organization SWAN who advocates for Asian
females involved in the sex trade. Julie herself is a younger Asian woman. Two
young Pivot lawyers who are Mothers and brought their babies could hardly be
called ‘old’. Plus there was myself and I am Aboriginal and not a ‘white
woman’.

Next you attack Scarlett Lake who was attending as an observer by
calling her a ‘pimp’ which was uncalled for. Scarlett is a sex trade worker and
owner/operator of an Independent escort service but to reduce her to a ‘pimp’
which has serious implications is yellow journalism.

You also go on about
the ‘pro prostitution’ side as bleach blondes and heavily made up. Nice try Mr
Hasiuk but this obviously shows your disdain for women. The only blonde I saw at
the Forum was Scarlett and I don’t think whether a woman or a man for that
reason touches up their hair should give rise to being called a bleached out
blonde, as you have done.

Your put down of women in such a derogatory way
shows that you have some issues in your life.

You also go on about the
Abolitionist side  being outnumbered at the forum by the ‘pro prostitution
side’. This is a distortion and you know it Mr Hasiuk. In fact the numbers were
the opposite. I counted 6 of us who favour sex trade safety and the number of
Abolitionists present was 12. 

When we were invited to participate
in the Forum, the agreed upon agenda stipulated that each speaker would be given
10 minutes to speak. At the start of the meeting there was a request from the
group identifying themselves as Abolitionists that they wished to have 20
minutes to speak. This was unfair and I spoke up about this and so the Forum
organizers  caucused and agreed that the original allotment of time for
each speaker would stand.

Next it came to the attention of the room and
forum organizers that media was present. This Forum was private and therefore
you were asked to leave. It is noteworthy that the Forum organizers stated they
had not invited the media (you) and one can only conclude since this forum
wasn’t publicized that you Mr Hasiuk were attending upon the invitation of the
Abolitionist side who you often write favourably toward. In fact I asked you to
self-disclose your stance on this issue and you refused. I did this because I
wasn’t going to participate in a meeting where only one media was present who
could possibly present information favourable toward those on one side who want
to prohibit prostitution.

Your recent column cements my point where in
the short time present at the meeting, you provide to Courier readers a
distorted and inaccurate perspective of the meeting. I can only imagine what you
may have done if allowed to be there for the whole meeting.

You go on to
claim that the meeting started one hour late and you are wrong here. We were
asked to attend for 12:30 pm where a light lunch would be served with the
program starting at 1pm. The forum actually started at 1:15pm. Perhaps those who
invited you didn’t convey this information to you.

Next you go on to
attack prominent feminist and lesbian activist Esther Shannon by calling her
rabid. Ms Shannon has viewpoints but to reduce her public and professional
record of public service to being rabid is disgusting. 

After the
forum organizers asked you to leave, you, Mr Hasiuk, quite aggressively singled
out MP Libby Davies yelling across the room at her that you were one of her
constituents and what was her opinion of the media being tossed from a ‘public
forum’. The forum Mr Hasiuk was not a public meeting as you state and why you
would single out MP Davies for your wrath is troubling. It was the organizers
who asked you to leave.

It is obvious from your article that the Courier
has an editorial stance of favouring Abolition of Prostitution. I find this
somewhat ironic though considering that the Courier takes ads from sex workers.
Of course the obvious must be stated here. The Courier receives revenue from
those engaged in the world’s oldest profession yet wants to prohibit
prostitution. Interesting.

Finally, I just want to say I feel sorry for
the female staff working at the Courier who work alongside a male who seems full
of anger and rage. One who thinks sex workers are the evil scourges on earth who
must be rid of at all costs. Further, that women who colour their hair or wear
make-up are less than other women in society and therefore must be publicly
ridiculed and  scorned–all in order–so that you can further your agenda
of abolishing prostitution.

Sad Mr Hasiuk really sad.

Jamie Lee
Hamilton

 
“I believe you change the world One man at a
time”

Mark Hasiuk, Vancouver Courier

Published: Tuesday, March 24,
2009
Wednesday, March 18, 12:45 p.m.
Speeding through rain-soaked downtown streets in my 1993 Dodge Colt. I’m 15
minutes late for a prostitution roundtable at the Simon Fraser University
Harbour Centre. The event, orchestrated by SFU communication students, will
explore prostitution issues in Vancouver.
12:50 p.m.
Arrive at the seventh floor conference room. Behind an
admission table, three young female students-sharply dressed and impeccably
groomed-greet me with a smile.
Identify myself. Sign in.

12:51 p.m.
Grab seat in back row of cozy amphitheatre. Approximately 25
people occupy 10 rows of comfortable blue seats. The room is split into two
factions. Abolitionists, mainly aboriginal women who hope to end prostitution,
and pro-prostitution advocates-an eclectic crowd festooned with bleach blonde
hair and heavy makeup-who favour decriminalization or legalization.
Around a table, on the floor below the amphitheatre seats, a handful of
pro-prostitution advocates-transsexual Jamie Lee Hamilton, pimp Scarlett Lake of
Scarlett’s House escort agency, Vancouver East NDP MP Libby Davies-quietly
lecture two SFU students, who stare blankly and nod. A small fruit plate
and  coffee pot sits untouched nearby. Something’s wrong.
12:53 p.m.
I turn toward Miranda, a young University of B.C. kinetics
graduate sitting quietly to my left. “What’s the hold up?” I ask. There’s a
problem, she says, with time allotments for speakers. Miranda works for
Beautynight, a fitness program for troubled women in the Downtown Eastside. Nice
girl.
12:55 p.m.
To my right, Chris Atchison, an SFU sociology professor and
“sex buyer” supporter, shakes his head and sighs. Begins typing on his laptop.
The air is stale. This room is warm and stuffy.
1:05 p.m.
Hushed discussion continues between students and
pro-prostitution advocates. The rest of us sit quietly.
Note: Start pricing
laptops.
1:15 p.m.
Meeting finally begins. A female student outlines parameters for
the afternoon.
“We want a discussion based on respect,” she says, before
offering 20 minutes to each abolitionist speaker, and 10 minutes to each speaker
from the pro-prostitution crowd, which outnumbers abolitionists by two to one.
Proposal greeted by chorus of sputters and mutters from pro-prostitution crowd.
Hamilton is appalled: “I thought this was a roundtable about the realities of
the sex trade,” she says. “I think that’s absolutely unfair.”
Awkward
silence. Students stew in their seats. “We did try to invite everyone involved
in the sex trade issue,” says a male student, “and to be fair and balanced and
not take a stance on abolition and decriminalization or whatever.”
1:16 p.m.
More awkward silence. The roundtable is 45 minutes behind
schedule. It’s very stuffy in here.
1:17 p.m.
Suddenly, Libby Davies, from her back row perch, chastises the
students for their disorganization before issuing an ultimatum. “Maybe you
should take a few minutes to work things out, and then we’ll decide whether we
should stay or leave.”
Note: Davies. Ringleader.
1:18 p.m.
Students huddle around their table, converse in hushed tones
that hang in the stale air. We all watch from our comfortable blue chairs.
1:19 p.m.
The pro-prostitution crowd regroups around Hamilton’s second-row
seat. Rabid pro-prostitution advocate Esther Shannon appears agitated. Hamilton
and Shannon glance, nod in my direction. I turn towards Miranda, the friendly
UBC kinetics grad. She shrugs, makes a crooked face.
1:20 p.m.
Students, pro-prostitution advocates engage in mysterious
back-and-forth, from huddle to huddle. Looks like a touch-football game. Young
Asians versus old white women.
1:25 p.m.
Students reconvene the meeting-again. Lead student clears his
throat. Hamilton interrupts. “Let’s ask Mark Hasiuk to disclose that he’s an
abolitionist.” (I’ve written past columns critical of pro-prostitution
philosophy.)
A short unidentified man, sitting near Libby Davies, bellows
from the top row. “We want him to leave!”
“Who’s we?” I ask. More awkward
silence.
1:26 p.m.
Students halt proceedings-again. Huddle around their table.
We’ve seen this movie before.
1:28 p.m.
Students disband. Pale, sweaty male addresses the room.
“Considering the strong feelings on this issue, we would like to ask the media
member to leave.”
1:29 p.m.
Thank God. Rising from my seat, I bid Miranda farewell, before
addressing Davies. “What do think, Libby? You’re an MP. I’m getting tossed from
a public meeting for no good reason.” “Don’t pin this on me!” she says. “You’re
being provocative!”
1:32 p.m.
Back onto rain-soaked streets. Take several deep breaths of
fresh air.  Gladly pay $8 parking fee.
mhasiuk@vancourier.com
www.markhasiuk.com

© Vancouver Courier 2009

The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — Driving through the night along the seamy streets of
Vancouver’s notorious Downtown Eastside, three women in the large van
dispense coffee, juice and conversation, along with condoms and clean
needles, to sex-trade workers.

But funding for the Mobile Access Project, which began in 2003 with a
converted ambulance, depends on the provincial government and there’s been
no promise to renew the money when it runs out at the end of April.

“So far not so good,” says Kate Gibson, executive-director of the WISH
Drop-in Centre Society that operates the van in partnership with the
Prostitution Alternatives Counselling and Education Society (PACE).

The van used to get funding from the federal and provincial governments and
the City of Vancouver.

But for the last two years it’s been solely dependent on the province for
the $265,000 needed annually to operate the vehicle and pay staff.

Speak Up! Media Skills for the Empowered Sex Worker” is a day-long seminar offered by the New York-based organization Sex Work Awareness (SWA). The workshop is based on $pread Magazine’s successful “Journalism for Sex Workers” training, which was developed by two of SWA’s founders in July 2006 for the “Revisioning Prostitution Policy: Creating Space for Sex Worker Rights and Challenging Criminalization” Desiree Alliance conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The impetus for developing the seminar was based on a real need expressed by members of our community for more resources and skills training on how to (a) respond to media requests effectively and safely, (b) engage with the mainstream media in order to get a particular message out, and (c) create our own media products. Sex workers, like many other marginalized communities, find the mainstream media a crucial site of resistance due to the harmful misrepresentations and stereotypes that it promulgates. This is especially true when the job the sex worker does is illegal and becomes further compounded by factors such as race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, relative poverty, drug use, family status, immigration status, and age. All too often, sex workers simply choose not to engage with the media due to potential social and legal repercussions or sex workers get in over their heads and are unwittingly exploited by the media without getting anything out of it.

Our seminar utilizes popular education techniques and teaches sex workers how to evaluate media requests and to formulate strategic responses to the media in a variety of formats. Sex worker participants learn to write press releases, op-ed pieces, and letters to the editor, build a press list, pitch a story to a reporter, and pitch their own freelance journalism to an editor. Attendees also get a crash course on how to start their own podcast, blog, or video podcast. Additionally, seminars will contain practical hands-on activities (for instance, we will blog during the workshop) and role plays (like video taping a simulated interview with a television reporter). We will also have participants look to already existing nationally-focused sex worker media (blogs like Bound Not Gagged, internet radio like SWIRL, and print publications like $pread Magazine) and talk about how sex workers can contribute to these and other national efforts.

This is a day-long seminar in which meals will be provided. The workshop is limited to ten participants on the basis of a submitted application; each participant will receive a Flip camera and a $50 stipend. Only self-identified current and former sex workers are invited to apply, to ensure that all feel comfortable during the seminar. The workshop is lead by two English speakers, so participants must be fluent in English.

The flagship workshop in this series will be given on April 18th in New York City. We are planning on traveling to other cities – if you are not in the New York City area but are interested in participating in a future workshop, please get in touch.

Questions? Email us at info [at] sexworkawareness.org