That rallying call rang through Barton Street East on Friday night as dozens of community members marched in a showing of support for a sex worker who was sexually assaulted and beaten last month.
“The law in Canada exacerbates and reproduces harms,” said Vermilion. “So long as the act of engaging in sex for money is illegal, sex workers will not see police as allies in moments when we need them.”
Vermilion also called on community members to advocate for the rights of sex workers in the city, especially those who are street-based.
The victim’s mother said the attack left her daughter with a broken jaw, a broken nose, three brain bleeds and many stitches. She’s also still having difficulty speaking and cannot use her arms, noted the mother, who will not be named by The Spectator due to the nature of the incident.