Resources for Journalists
Recognizing that journalists cannot be experts on every subject, SWAN has created and compiled short and easy-to-access resources for journalists to learn more about sex work and trafficking. We hope that this library of information will facilitate more accurate and nuanced reporting on the realities of im/migrant sex work, as well as critical consideration of the harms that come from conflating it with human trafficking.
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Quick Guide to Responsible Reporting Resources
For your convenience, we have listed all of SWAN's "Responsible Reporting" media project resources below, with a brief description of the resource, its target audience and how it may be helpful. ...
Misleading police news releases
Police across Canada are presenting cases as human trafficking in their news releases, but it’s often just a crackdown on sex workers and their clients. In some cases, police framed child...
Expert Take: Men & Masc Sex Workers
To combat the longstanding stereotype that sex workers are only women, SWAN teamed up with HIM, an organization that supports men and masc sex workers, to help dispel some myths and shed light on an...
A Word on Ethical Imagery
Bad Imagery in Sex Work Reporting Using inappropriate images when reporting on sex work can contribute to misinformation, widely-held stereotypes and the dehumanization and 'othering' of sex...
Language Guide
SWAN has developed a brief language guide to aid reporters in avoiding harmful language about sex workers. This guide is not exhaustive. It should also be noted that language is ever-changing and...
Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform (CASWLR) v. Attorney General Analysis
The continued violation of sex workers’ rights—and the dismissal of their lived experiences and general humanity—is demonstrated in the September 2023 Ontario Superior Court’s dismissal of a...
Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform (CASWLR) v. Attorney General
In March 2021, a constitutional challenge against Canada’s sex work laws—the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA)—was launched to address violations of sex workers’ basic...
VIDEO: Clickbait Creates a Moral Panic About Sex Trafficking
Sensationalism is hurting everyone. Clickbait headlines may get newsrooms more readers, but they're contributing to a moral panic that doesn't help actual trafficking victims. Learn more...
This project has been funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada.
