The effect of the Olympics period on disruption of sex work environment in the context of HIV/STI risk*
| Valid n | Overall (n=207), n (%) | Period 1: Olympics period (n=107), n (%) | Period 2: post-Olympics period (n=100), n (%) | Multivariable OR (95% CIs) | p Value | |
| Heightened police harassment without arrest† | 202 | 85 (42.1%) | 55 (51.4%) | 30 (31.6%) | 3.95 (1.92 to 8.14)‡ | <0.001 |
| Heightened police arrests of clients | 202 | 14 (6.9%) | 10 (9.3) | 4 (3.2) | NS | |
| Heightened police arrest of sex workers | 202 | 12 (5.9%) | 6 (5.6%) | 6 (6.3%) | NS | |
| Decrease in the numbers of clients available | 200 | 91 (45.5%) | 56 (53.8%) | 35 (36.5%) | 1.97 (1.11 to 3.48)‡ | 0.020 |
| Difficulty hooking up with clients due to road closures/construction | 200 | 26 (13.0%) | 22 (21.4%) | 4 (4.1%) | 7.68 (2.46 to 23.98)‡ | <0.001 |
| Difficulty hooking up with clients due to a decrease in clients available | 200 | 56 (28.0%) | 39 (37.9%) | 17 (17.5%) | 3.59 (1.79 to 7.19)‡ | <0.001 |
| Difficulty hooking up with clients due to increases in police surveillance | 200 | 56 (28.0%) | 36 (35.0%) | 20 (20.6%) | NS | |
| Difficulty hooking up with clients due to increases in police raids/crackdowns/arrests | 200 | 20 (10.0%) | 14 (13.6%) | 6 (6.2%) | NS | |
| Difficulty hooking up with clients due to increases in the numbers of workers | 200 | 38 (19.0%) | 22 (21.4%) | 16 (16.5%) | NS | |
| Influx of sex workers | ||||||
| Within this neighbourhood | 202 | 15 (7.4%) | 5 (4.8%) | 10 (10.2%) | ||
| From other Vancouver neighbourhoods | 202 | 42 (20.8%) | 26 (25.0%) | 10 (10.2%) | ||
| From outside Vancouver | 202 | 25 (12.4%) | 15 (14.4%) | 16 (16.3%) | NS | |
| Increase in new sex work initiates | ||||||
| Overall | 202 | 68 (33.7%) | 35 (33.7%) | 33 (33.7%) | ||
| Underage youth (<19 years old) | 202 | 27 (13.4%) | 12 (11.5%) | 15 (15.3%) | ||
| 20–25…years old | 202 | 35 (17.3%) | 15 (14.4%) | 20 (20.4%) | ||
| 25+ years old | 202 | 36 (17.8%) | 16 (15.4%) | 20 (20.4%) | NS | |
↵* Reference period of the last month (30 days).
↵† Police stopping/following sex workers (and their clients) without arrest.
↵‡ Adjusted for the following variables, in multivariable logistic regression analysis: Heightened police harassment without arrest (sexual minority, number of shifts per week; work along the primary transport route/commercial corridor; solicited in an indoor managed settings; solicited at home/in-call); Decrease in the numbers of clients available (work along the primary transport route/commercial corridor); Difficulty hooking up with clients due to road closures/construction (sexual minority; work in the inner-city epicentre); and Difficulty hooking up with clients due to a decrease in clients available (work in the inner-city epicentre; solicit outdoors/in public spaces).
NS, not significant, STI, sexually transmitted infection.