Call to coincide with International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
VANCOUVER – On the international day to raise awareness of violence and discrimination against sex workers, MP Libby Davies (Vancouver East) has renewed her call for a public inquiry into the actions of the Vancouver Police Department and the RCMP in their investigation of Vancouver’s missing women.
“I first raised this issue in Parliament in 2001, calling for an inquiry into police actions, and for the federal government to work with all levels of law enforcement to stop the disappearance of so many women from the Downtown Eastside,” said Davies. “Almost nine years later, many questions still remain.”
In a response to a recent email from Maggie de Vries, the sister of Sarah de Vries who disappeared in 1998, VPD Police Chief Jim Chu and Deputy Chief Doug LePard publicly stated their support for an inquiry.
“I commend the perseverance and courage of Maggie de Vries in her struggle for justice for her sister, and I’m encouraged by the new support from the Vancouver Police,” said Davies.
Davies’ Private Member’s Motion in 2002 led to a special Parliamentary Sub-Committee to examine solicitation laws. The goal was to improve the safety of sex trade workers and the community in general, recognizing that many of the missing women worked in the sex trade.
For more information about the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, visit www.swopusa.org.