Calgary police chief weighs in on the complexities of protecting sex workers
Calgary's police chief is encouraging sex trade workers to report abuse, assaults and any other issues they encounter to the recently-created Bad Date Line.
"Individuals involved in sex work are always at risk," Chief Const. Mark Neufeld said during an interview on Calgary's CTV Morning Live on Tuesday.
"Individuals involved in sex work understand acutely the risks that they face, and police do as well, but there's always been barriers for reporting."
Neufeld said while most in the sex trade will call 911 if they need immediate help, many feel uncomfortable reaching out for anything that isn't life-threatening.
"It's when people are involved with individuals or have an experience that makes them feel uncomfortable, sometimes they look after that amongst themselves in the community, but the information doesn't make it to police," he said.
Violence against Calgary sex workers became a renewed focus for police last year, after charges were laid against a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting local sex workers.
Richard Robert Mantha faces more than two dozen offences, including sexual assault with a weapon and kidnapping.
"One of the things we did after the Mantha case, about a year ago, was recognize there was a gap in terms of the ways that people could report quickly," Neufeld said.
"So we put together – working with our non-profit partner HER Victory in Forest Lawn – a hotline, a tip line, a bad date line, that people could reach out to 24-7 to provide information if they had a situation where they were uncomfortable."
Earlier this month, police charged two men with first-degree murder in the death of Chelsea Davidenas. Investigators believe she was targeted because of her history as a sex worker.
Neufeld said he hopes organizations like HER Victory and RESET Society of Calgary can be used to bridge the gap between those in the sex trade who need support and police.
HER Victory founder Jacquie Meyer says the Bad Date Line creates a safe and anonymous place for people to report incidents to the police
"The line has been very well received and utilized not only to assist police in arrests and prevention, but (to keep) those caught in the sex industry safe and protected," she said in a statement to CTV News.
"The Bad Date Line reduces the barrier for individuals who may not otherwise report and creates an outlet so their voices are heard."
To report a bad date, you can call 403-816-9400 or email baddate@calgarypolice.ca.
The Bad Date Line was launched May 30, 2023.
Since then, police say 39 reports have been filed, some of which pertained to ongoing investigations.
The information will not be used by police to target sex workers, but instead will be used by police to target individuals causing harm to sex workers.
For information on other supports and resources available, you can visit the Report a Bad Date website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.