As a response to the ongoing criminalization of sex workers, which contribute to their lack of access to justice, five BC sex workers’ rights organizations are working to create a provincially-integrated bad date and aggressor reporting system in BC.
The BC Bad Date and Aggressor Reporting (BC BDAR) Project is a three-year project funded by the Law Foundation of BC.
It is a sex worker-led initiative to provide a safe and effective way of reporting violent incidents or safety concerns to peers and/or outreach workers. These incidents and concerns are tracked in databases and distributed to the community with the goal of facilitating sex workers’ safety.
The BC BDAR project will build a tool that will incorporate all communities and sectors of sex workers in BC, incorporating a diversity and accessibility framework to ensure that the tool is low-barrier.
The project will also gather and deliver legal education to facilitate successful implementation, uptake, and usage of the system. Project findings will also be used to inform law reform recommendations.
SWAN is participating in this project to bring in the perspective of im/migrant sex workers and their unique experiences. In consultation with the women we serve, we hope to bring valuable insight to the project design and implementation.
To find out more, visit https://bcbdar.org/.