Ekklesia Inner City Ministries

In 2009, Project 417 began partnering with other organizations to reach out to sex trade workers on the streets of Toronto. Our primary way of connecting with sex workers is through street outreach. Our approach is to focus on individuals with their own unique needs and stories. Starting from first contact, we customize the support that we offer based on their needs and perspectives. We are available to journey with each person through the entire process of exiting the sex trade, attempting to provide holistic support.
 
Did you know?

• Most girls who enter sex work turn their first trick at 13 or 14 years old
• 10,000-30,000 youth are currently estimated to live in poverty in Toronto
• Many involved in sex work develop a dependency on drugs to cope with the suffering that results from being sexually exploited; they do not begin sex work to support an existing habit
• 82% of women working in sex work experience physical violence
• 71% of women working in sex work are raped
• 75% of people working in the sex work have attempted suicide at least once
• The sex trade seen on the street is only about 10% of the sex trade, most of it occurs indoors, massage parlours, brothels, etc.