New program offers support for people who want to leave sex trade

With manyjobs, you can simply pick up the phone and say, 'I quit' when you've had enough or want to make a change. But giving up the sex trade isn't quite that easy.

The Blue Door is a new programoffering help to anyone in the St. John's area connected to the sex industry,whether it be sex workers, those in exploitative situations or traffickers,and it's open to people ofall sexual orientations and gender identities.

There's just one condition.

"The only requirement is they would like support to get out," said Angela Crockwell, executive director of Thrive, the community youth network that runs the program.

Difficult industry to leave

The five-year initiative is funded by the federal government, and offers intensive supports, including employment and housing services, education programs, crisis intervention, transition planning and counselling.

The program began in May, and now has eight participants as a result of outreach done at shelters, through other organizations and referrals.

When you have a trafficker or exploiter attached to somebody, it's not as simple as saying, 'I want to change.'- Angela Crockwell

While she isn't elaborating on the situations of the people already enrolled in the program, Crockwell said individuals will need different levels of support, depending on personal circumstances.

"Some people, if they've been engaged in the sex trade for a verylong time, may be struggling with issues around housing, addiction, lack of other employment opportunities, low education levels, so often there's lots of challenges that prevent people from leaving," she told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show.

"So we anticipate seeing people who might need three months worth of support, some might need five years worth of support."

Sex trafficking 'significant issue'

Thrivedefines sex-trade activity as the exchange of money, goods, or resources for sexual services and includesall forms of sexual commerce, including survival sex those who trade sex for food, drugs or a place to stay.

Over the past 16 years, Crockwell said the organization has identified sex trafficking as a particularconcern, with a recommendation to develop an exit program included in a report the group did for the provincial government several years ago.

"While we don't have stats and data, it's certainly a significant issue for many of the people that we serve at Thrive.

"If there's a trafficker or exploiter attached to you, it can be quite dangerous for people to leave and certainly a fear for people's safety," said Crockwell.

"So it's certainly a consideration we've built into the program to think about safety planning for people, safety for the staff who are working in the program, because when you have a trafficker or exploiter attached to somebody, it's not as simple as saying, 'I want to change.'"

Community support

St. John's-based software company Verafin is organizing two events to raise money to support the initiative through its charity VeraCares a corporate softball tournament and a walk and run to support survivors of human trafficking.

"Our mission as an organization is to stop financial crime, and of course these crimes drug trafficking, sex trafficking, human trafficking align perfectly with what the Blue Door program is doing," saidHeidi Murphy, chair of the organizing committee.

The Blue Door Walk and Runis happening Sept. 24 in Bowring Park.