We are thrilled to announce our August 2016 grantee: Building Purple Bridges. This grassroots initiative aims to address the service gaps for outdoor/survival sex-workers in the Vanier neighbourhood.
Building Purple Bridges is lead by a team composed of individuals with lived experience in outdoor/survival sex-work, as well as two of their allies with several years of relevant front-line experience.
The project recognizes that outdoor sex-workers face staggeringly high rates of violence and marginalization. There are very few places workers can go to feel safe and truly welcomed. Currently in Ottawa there are no services that operate 24 hours a day that are specifically designed to meet the needs of this population.
The project aims to fill this gap by addressing the basic and immediate concerns of outdoor/survival sex-workers while strengthening overall community connectedness. Their ultimate vision is to establish permanent, 24 hr programming in Vanier that specifically meets the needs of outdoor sex-workers.
The JustChange grant will go to supporting a pilot 8 week drop-in space open to all self-identified sex-workers in the Vanier neighbourhood (LGBT inclusive). It will be guided by sex-worker rights and harm-reduction frameworks. Building Purple Bridges hopes to bring people together over food and other programming (themed workshops and activities). Ultimately, the aim is to create a dedicated and safe space where people can go to find solace, understanding, fun, and community.