A Review of the Measures to Address Prostitution Initiative (MAPI)

This study uses data from the Measures to Address Prostitution Initiative (MAPI) to present some of the socio-demographic characteristics and experiences of people who provide or have provided sexual services in Canada’s sex trade and received support services through organizations funded by the Measures to Address Prostitution Initiative (MAPI). Data are for the period of 2015-16 to 2019-20 and represent 2,291 people (referred to as MAPI clients throughout the report).

The following is a list of the study’s key findings:

The majority (94%) MAPI clients were women and girls; gender diverse people accounted for about 2% of all MAPI clients. Indigenous peoples represent about 5% of the population in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2017) but accounted for 16% of the MAPI clients. Over 40% of the MAPI clients were young adults aged 20 to 29 years. About 6% of MAPI clients were minors, younger than 18, at the time of data collection. The majority (79%) of MAPI clients were single and about 40% of clients had children. One in five (21%) MAPI clients had children who had been removed by child welfare agencies. Almost 70% of MAPI clients had an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol; addictions to drugs were the most prevalent at 34%. Many (67%) of the MAPI clients had been physically and/or psychologically coerced by others into providing sexual services. The majority (81%) of MAPI clients reported wanting to exit the sex trade. Less than 1% reported they did not want to exit the sex trade, and less than half a percent indicated they were unsure or ambivalent about exiting. Among those seeking to exit the sex trade, many (45%) requested access to support services such as safe housing, mental health and trauma therapy, and addictions treatment. About 15% of MAPI clients requested support for caring for children and for working with child welfare agencies to regain custody or visitation rights. About 12% of MAPI clients were seeking safety from threats or experiences of physical violence in the sex trade. About a quarter (24%) of MAPI clients referred themselves to the MAPI organizations for support. Just under half (46%) of MAPI clients had attempted to exit the sex trade at least once. Three of the most commonly accessed services at MAPI organizations were mental health supports (52% of clients), housing (38%), and education and life skills programs (35%). By the end of the MAPI funding period, 2015-16 to 2019-20, close to 65% of clients reported there had been a positive change in their lives (reduced risk factors) after working with a MAPI organization. Based on individual client case notes, about one in five (21%) clients had exited the sex trade by 2019-20, and 5% remained in or returned to the sex trade. There were no notes indicating status of sex trade involvement for over 70% of clients. MAPI organizations reported that most clients who returned to the sex trade did so for money due to poverty, chronic homelessness, substance abuse issues, or because they returned to abusive relationships.