Peer Counsellor Training for Sex Workers: A Pilot Program in Lekwungen Territory (Victoria, BC)

Abstract

Sex workers face significant stigma when accessing mental health services, due to the history of criminalization of sex work and the resulting negative biases in the healthcare sector. Peers Victoria Resources Society is a sex worker advocacy organization who partnered with the researchers to develop and implement a pilot program on peer-counsellor skills development for sex workers incorporating trauma informed practice. The course sought to build on leadership, capacity and strengthen solidarity while acknowledging societal stigma, in hopes that this pilot could result in supplementary care to mainstream mental health services for this underserved community. Interviews were conducted with eight participants prior to and following the 10-week course. Participants reported increased competency in basic counselling skills such as reflective listening, and all noted the applicability of these skills in their personal and working lives. Suggestions were made to scaffold future course content to manage both academic and emotional learning.