SEX WORK TOOLKIT
Tools for Health Care Providers
Medical professionals have a significant impact on sex workers' lives. These individuals need training and information to understand and work better with sex workers.
In a recent study in BC conducted by Dr. Cecilia Benoit, 40% of sex workers surveyed felt stigmatized by health care workers.
Sex workers' health needs include needs that everyone has — for care that is inclusive, welcoming, stigma-free, and focused on the health concerns one is experiencing rather than on the work one does — as well as sexual health needs such as stigma-free STI testing and contraceptives.
To learn more about sex workers' health care needs, read the report from our 2023 provincial conference here.
Below are resources recommended by PACE Society for health care professionals looking to provide more rights-based care for sex-working patients:
PACE Training: Contact PACE Society about their tailored training for health care workers.
Online Training: Course 'Sex Work and Health: Strategies and Tools for Inclusive Practices' developed by the Vancouver Sex Work Community Alliance.
Book: 'Essential Clinical Care for Sex Workers: A Sex-Positive Handbook for Mental Health Practitioners', Theodore R. Burnes and Jamila M. Dawson.
Health Initiative for Men (HIM) also provides various resources on the health and wellbeing of gay, bisexual and queer (GBQ) cis men and gender diverse (GD) people:
Articles on health promotion initiatives and resources
Resource tool in development: Healthcare Provider Portal, coming soon, which will provide information and tools around supporting GBQ and GD people within healthcare.
You can also find resources from the Ending Violence Association BC (EVA BC) on:
Training and service access information for sexual assault response within healthcare