Project 459551

In the past two decades, a number of countries in Europe, North America, and Asia have adopted "end demand" criminalization frameworks for the sex industry (also known as the "Swedish Model" or "Nordic Model"), while countries in Africa and South America have partially adopted or debated adopting similar measures (NSWP 2011). While there is a broad and robust global health literature on the criminalization of sex work contributing to STBBI risks for sex workers (Decker et al. 2015, Shannon et al. 2015, Platt et al. 2018), there is very little research on the effects of "end-demand" criminalization frameworks on sex workers' STBBI risks, and scarce quantitative research on the topic. In 2015, Canada adopted end-demand legislation. In 2017-2018, we collected mixed methods data from 200 sex workers in five cities with a sample weighted towards the most marginalized sex workers (injection drug users, Indigenous sex workers, and/or sex workers working outdoors). In the first CIHR-SSHRC-supported phase of the research, we analysed correlates and trends related to workplace violence. In this second phase of the research, we will focus on STBBI risk. We will statistically analyse social and structural correlates of unprotected sex at work using our existing data. We will then further analyse the correlates of unprotected sex at work and of shared injection material among a restricted sample of injection drug-using sex workers. Following this, we will undertake 30 semi-structured interviews in three of our research sites with injection-drug-using sex workers to explore in depth 1. the dynamics shaping their risk environments for STBBIs under end-demand legislation 2. how they navigate and attempt to mitigate these risks under end-demand legislation.