ESCORT SERVICES IN A BORDER TOWN
TRANSMISSION DYNAMICS OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS WITHIN AND BETWEEN COMMUNITIES
1999
LITERATURE & POLICY SUMMARY
Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale, PhD and Jacqueline Lewis, PhD
Department of Sociology & Anthropology
University of Windsor
A report to the Division of STD Prevention and
Control, Laboratory Centres for Disease
Control
Health Canada
Grant # H1021-7-0241/001/SS
Executive Summary
 This document reports the results of an
exploratory study, conducted in a border city
with a recently opened casino, that examined
the potential impact of the licensing of
escort services on the spread of sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) between the
United States and Canada. Concern for the
spread of STIs results from their higher
prevalence in the United States than in
Canada. Recommendations are made in the
report with respect to research, policy and
programming.
Methodology
The study used Windsor, Ontario as its
focus of inquiry because it borders the
United States, recently opened a casino that
attracts thousands of visitors from the
United States, and initiated licensing of
escorts and escort agencies in 1996.
Information for this report came from:
- A review of the literature on sex work and
STIs.
- A review and comparison of national and
municipal policies that affect the escort
industry.
- Observation of local events related to the
escort industry.
- Consultations with sex worker advocacy
groups.
- Consultations with 7 researchers currently
working in the area of sex work.
- Interviews with 18 escorts and 8 escort
agency personnel.
- Interviews with 21 key informants,
including public health and social service
workers, grassroots organizations, city
councillors, municipal employees and
police, who have contact with the industry
or work with policies related to it.
Key Findings
This study examined the relationship
between the opening of the casino, the
licensing of escorts and potential
transmission of STIs from American
clientele to Canadian escorts.
(1) Literature Review
Research conducted in a variety of
geographical locations where sex work is
governed by differing legislative approaches
demonstrates that:
- When sex workers have access to and the
ability to use condoms, they consistently
use them in their work.
- Vulnerability to STIs is less when:
- Sex workers are part of "mainstream"
society rather than marginalized.
- Sex work is "legitimized" more than it is
"criminalized."
- Work conditions are structured to
minimize risks to safety and well-being.
- Health and social services are available
that are sensitized to the needs of sex
workers.
(2) The casino and the escort industry
- The escort industry in Windsor has
increased since the opening of the casino.
- Between 20% and 90% of customers of
any particular escort come from the United
States.
- The casino, strip clubs and escort services
create an attractive adult entertainment
package for some business and
recreational visitors to the city.
(3) Licensing
- Some Canadian municipalities have
licensing bylaws that apply to escorts and
escort agencies.
- Licensing creates legitimacy for escort
work, it is a "business like any other
business."
- The "aura of legitimacy" attracts both
workers and customers.
- Licensing empowers escorts and agency
owners and facilitates their integration
into the community.
- There is confusion among escorts, agency
owners and personnel, and the public over
how municipal licensing interfaces with
criminal code statutes related to
prostitution.
- Criminal code statutes interfere with
acknowledgement that escort work
involves the delivery of sexual services.
- This inhibits the ability of the city, its
agencies, and escort agencies to address
health and safety issues related to the
delivery of sexual services by escorts.
- Municipal police are responsible for
enforcing both the municipal bylaws and
the criminal code.
- Enforcement of the municipal bylaw is
paid from licensing fees charged to
escorts and escort agencies.
- The dual role of police:
- Reduces the costs and complexity of
enforcing the criminal code.
- Provides the police with regular and
easy access to agencies and escorts.
- Makes it possible for police to use
information obtained through licensing
together with the authority of bylaw
enforcement to police potential
criminal code offences.
- Police do not always respect the
confidentiality promised to escorts related
to information recorded as part of
licensing.
(4) Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Escorts reported that:
- Condoms were the principle method used
to prevent STIs.
- They used condoms for all consensual
oral and penetrative contact with
customers.
- It was a rare customer who did not ask
"how much more for no condom."
- Escorts lacked information about other
preventive practices, or about STIs that are
not prevented with condom use.
Conclusions
The casino is a large draw for visitors
from both Canada and other countries,
primarily the United States. For some
visitors, the casino is the main draw in an
adult entertainment package that also
includes strip clubs and escort services.
Given the higher prevalence of all STIs in
the United States as compared to Canada,
and the fact that some are not prevented
through condom use, the vulnerability of
Canadian escorts to STIs increases with an
increase in American clientele. Licensing of
escorts and escort agencies has the potential
to contribute to prevention of STIs through
legitimating escort work, empowering
escorts, and enhancing their integration in
the community and potential access to
community and health services. In order to
achieve this end, however, the occupational
health and safety needs of escorts must be
addressed, particularly with respect to
engaging in sex with customers The
potential for violation of criminal code
statutes related to prostitution (CC s.212)
when agencies or licensing municipalities
become involved in the sex work portion of
escort work inhibits their involvement in
openly addressing the health and safety
needs of escorts.
View the entire report using Adobe Acrobat.
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