Vancouver strippers vs. the police board
I highly recommend this awesome series by Ryann Rain. She and several other exotic dancers have been going head-to-head with the Vancouver police department for the negative effects their “Gang Violence Task Force” is having on local strip clubs.
Read her posts here:
- Vancouver Police Department pressure on strip clubs. Her letter to the Police Board.
- Wish me luck. Written the day before her meeting with the Police Board.
- I am NOT collateral damage!! A recap of the Police Board meeting.
If there is a [gang] war coming like the Vancouver Police Department believes to be true, then why aren’t they protecting the dancers, warning the girls, and taking steps to ensure everyone’s safety? Why are they watching the shows, leering at the dancers, barging into dressing rooms? Why are undercover officers buying private dances? Why are they monitoring private dances so carefully? Why are they harassing customers and dancers? Why are they taking away safe work options for women?
I’m estimating that I’ve experienced a 30% decrease in my income in Vancouver in the past 5 months since this mandate started. That’s my savings. That’s my future. I can’t imagine the Superintendent sitting in front of an elementary teacher and saying “you are a reasonable casualty”. So why the fuck am I disposable!?!?
This is very inspiring. I’ll be keeping an eye on her blog to see how things progress. It might be slow going, but I think it’s extremely important for workers in the sex industry to continue to put pressure on governmental policies that disenfranchise them.