What are the laws around sex work in New Brunswick?
Sex work itself isn’t criminalized in New Brunswick, but nearly all related activities are illegal under Canada’s Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA). Selling sexual services is legal, but buying them, communicating for the purpose of prostitution in public, or operating bawdy houses carries criminal penalties. Police prioritize targeting clients and third parties rather than sex workers. Recent court challenges argue these laws endanger workers by forcing them into isolation.
Can sex workers be arrested under New Brunswick laws?
While selling sex is legal, workers risk arrest for “nuisance” offenses like public communication or working jointly with others. Most arrests target clients purchasing services, with fines up to $5,000 and potential jail time for repeat offenses. Workers report frequent confiscation of condoms as “evidence,” increasing health risks. Legal advocates argue this contradictory framework pushes sex work underground.
How do sex workers stay safe in New Brunswick?
Safety strategies include screening clients via phone, working indoors, using buddy systems, and sharing bad-date lists. Moncton outreach groups distribute panic buttons and naloxone kits. The criminalized environment complicates safety, as workers avoid police contact even when assaulted. Mobile apps like Bad Date Coalition provide anonymous reporting, but rural areas lack consistent harm-reduction services.
Where can sex workers access healthcare in New Brunswick?
Public health clinics in Fredericton, Saint John, and Moncton offer confidential STI testing, contraception, and wound care without requiring ID. AIDS Saint John runs the S.A.F.E outreach van distributing safer-use supplies. However, stigma prevents many workers from disclosing their occupation to doctors, leading to untreated occupational injuries like strangulation marks.
What support services exist for sex workers in New Brunswick?
Limited specialized services operate through community health networks like River Stone Recovery Centre and Ensemble Moncton. They offer counseling, housing assistance, and exit programs. Most peer support happens informally through encrypted chat groups. The lack of provincial funding for sex worker-led organizations creates critical gaps, especially for migrant and Indigenous workers.
How can someone leave sex work in New Brunswick?
Transition requires multi-system support: Addiction services through Horizon Health, trauma therapy via Victim Services programs, and employment training with JEDI. However, waitlists exceed 6 months for subsidized housing, and criminal records from “communicating” charges create employment barriers. Successful transitions often depend on informal networks due to sparse resources.
What are the biggest risks for sex workers in New Brunswick?
Violence tops concerns, with street-based workers facing highest assault rates. Rural isolation creates vulnerability—clients may strand workers in remote areas. Police data shows disproportionate violence against Indigenous workers. Opioid contamination in the drug supply causes accidental overdoses during “date highs.” Economic pressures from inflation drive riskier service negotiations.
How does human trafficking impact New Brunswick’s sex trade?
Trafficking exists but conflating it with consensual sex work harms workers. Most trafficking prosecutions involve intimate partners or family exploiters, not organized crime. Service providers note trafficked youth often come through child welfare systems. The RCMP’s Project Shadow targets massage parlors, though workers argue raids increase danger by disrupting safety networks.
How does online sex work operate in New Brunswick?
Platforms like Leolist dominate advertising, allowing indoor workers to screen clients remotely. Crypto payments reduce financial tracking risks. Workers report increased safety but face digital vulnerabilities: screenshot blackmail, doxxing, and platform bans. Police sometimes use ads to identify workers for “offering illegal services” charges despite legal gray areas.
Are there street-based sex work areas in New Brunswick cities?
Visible street work concentrates near budget motels on Saint John’s Chesley Drive and Moncton’s Main Street, though gentrification displaces workers. Workers avoid residential zones due to municipal “nuisance property” bylaws. Outreach groups note displacement increases violence as workers rush client negotiations in hidden locations.
What economic realities do New Brunswick sex workers face?
Most workers earn between $150-$300 per client but average just 3 clients weekly due to low population density. Migrant workers send remittances, while students use income for tuition. Inflation has stagnated rates despite rising living costs. Precarious status workers (refugees, undocumented migrants) face extreme exploitation with earnings as low as $30 per service.
How do police interactions affect sex workers’ safety?
Despite “end demand” policies, workers report frequent stops for “wellness checks” that reveal their workplace to landlords. Confidentiality breaches occur when police notify border services about migrant workers. Some officers leverage knowledge of illegal activities (like substance use) to coerce information. Community liaison initiatives exist but remain inconsistent.
What unique challenges do Indigenous sex workers face?
Systemic factors drive overrepresentation: generational trauma from residential schools, lack of rural employment, and child welfare involvement. Wolastoqey women report discrimination in shelters and healthcare. Traditional healing programs like Mawiw Council are underfunded. Highway 11 between Miramichi and Bathurst sees high disappearances of Indigenous workers.
How does New Brunswick’s geography impact sex work?
Vast distances between cities mean rural workers travel hours for clients, increasing costs and isolation. Limited public transit forces car dependency—vehicle impoundment during arrests creates housing crises. In Acadian Peninsula communities, close-knit social circles heighten stigma, preventing service access. Winter weather poses lethal risks for street-based workers.
What legal changes could improve sex workers’ lives?
Decriminalization (following New Zealand’s model) tops advocacy demands to reduce violence and stigma. Immediate reforms include banning condoms as evidence, prohibiting evictions for sex work, and amnesty for past “communicating” charges. Workers prioritize law enforcement accountability and inclusion in policy design—currently absent from provincial task forces.
