The Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (CVC) recently partnered with the Royal Holloway University of London to bring police officers and sex workers in western Jamaica together for a conversation on human rights, gender-based violence and stigma and discrimination. The one day session, which took place in Negril Westmoreland, saw some seventeen (17) police officers from the parishes of Westmoreland, Hanover and St. James in attendance. All the police officers are active duty officers who have interacted with sex workers. The session was therefore designed to allow persons to speak freely and openly about interactions between police officers and sex workers. Additionally, findings were shared from research done with sex workers about their interaction with law enforcement and whether or not regard was given for their human rights. The discussion also explored issues affecting sex workers, while examining the laws related to sex work, human rights and gender-based violence and its impact on sex workers.
Senior Lecturer at the Royal Holloway University of London Dr. Jacqueline Sanchez Taylor who led a 2019 research on policing sex work in Jamaica said the major objective of the session was to have police and sex workers participate in a frank conversation about human rights issues associated with policing sex worker. “The objectives were met as we provided tangible examples and personal experiences of sex workers about how the law and stigma and discrimination impact them. We had an open discussion with the police officers about how they approach policing of sex work and the issues they have with how it is criminalised and whether it should be decriminalised,” she said.
Dr. Sanchez Taylor argued that having dialogue to give both sides an opportunity to see the others’ point of view is critical. “It was important to bring police officers and sex workers face to face to have this conversation because there is a lot of misunderstanding around sex work and stereotypes around sex workers and we need to dispell that and to have an opportunity to humanise sex workers and to think about how they don’t just experience violence from clients but also from the public and there is a whole range of different ways they’re being stigmatised and that makes them vulnerable. We need to think about sex workers as a vulnerable group rather than lawbreakers and criminals,” she pointed out.
The two (2) sex workers who attended the session shared their own experiences of interacting with the police. The sex workers shared that while there are police officers who are very civil towards them, who protect them and respect their rights; there are others who always violate their rights. They also shared that some of their colleagues were not comfortable interfacing with the police and as such refrain from reporting when crimes are committed against them. Executive Director of the Sex Workers’ Association of Jamaica (SWAJ) Miriam Haughton says sex workers sometimes have difficulty with law enforcement officers. “They’re not treated fairly and they’re very much afraid of the police, they’re abused and beaten. When they go to the police to make a report, the police will take the report some of the time, but they don’t follow up. They don’t make any effort to go to the scene, they don’t collect any evidence or even to see if they can catch the perpetrator,” she said. The SWAJ Executive Director points out that sessions such as this one hosted by CVC give sex workers a much needed voice. “It is very important because at least they get to see sex workers otherwise from them just being on the street to know that they are human beings, they could be their sister, their aunt, they see us in our human form. Because when they see us on the street they don’t see us as human. I think it’s good because some of them (police officers) might not really know what is happening on the streets so talking and sharing here they can understand what sex workers are going through and also know what they need to do better,” she said.
The police officers were fully engaged, demonstrating a real interest in understanding the issues affecting sex workers and asked various questions to deepen their understanding and prepare themselves to better respond to this group. Detective Sergeant Khainne Berry who is assigned to the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) in Westmoreland says the session was very informative and interactive. “I see where my colleagues were very keen when the presenters were speaking, they were very focused, they were asking questions. In topics that were unclear or unsure to them they were open to learn and understand what the individuals have been through. I believe for the wider JCF (Jamaica Constable Force) every member should be exposed to training sessions like this because we see in the tourist areas like Negril, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, we see where sex workers are oftentimes victims of crime or we have a higher ratio of sex workers in these areas and the fact that they are there I think members of the JCF should know how to treat with them, know the things they experience and on a broad base just treat everybody as human beings, no discrimination, no stigmatisation,” she noted.
Meanwhile Sergeant Ricardo Pink from the St. James Division says he left the session with crucial information that will help him to better do his job. “This session today put us in a better position to respond to the issues being faced by sex workers and to help to treat them with the same rights as other citizens and to treat them fairly so they can feel a sense of justice when they are wronged. Going forward I expect the persons who participated in today’s session to have a better understanding of how to treat these cases when it comes to their attention and give sex workers a greater sense of comfort in coming to the police and be assured that the police are here to assist them when these issues arise,” he said.
Sergeant Pink is also arguing that other members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) would undoubtedly benefit from the session. “It will be crucial going forward that every member of the JCF is sensitised about these issues including persons at the training facility and even those considered senior members of the organisation. It is crucial that they be exposed to this information so we can better assist all members of the public. I just want the persons who are categorised as sex workers to feel more comfortable now knowing that we’re being sensitised and I want them to feel more comfortable coming to the police and know the different steps they can take when they face issues reporting offences against them,” he pointed out.
In the meantime, Dr. Jacqueline Sanchez Taylor says if there was only one major takeaway she hoped the police officers would leave the session with it would be “a better understanding of sex work, why people go into sex work and how policing impacts sex workers.” Mirriam Haughton agrees saying, “If the officers were to leave with one thing I want them to recognise that sex work is work and sex workers are human beings too.”
