Another Vicious Assault at Venus Porn Theatre

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

June 18, 2007

ANOTHER VICIOUS SEXUAL ASSAULT at the VENUS PORN PALACE


Once again, recently, just last week, another Woman was viciously sexually assaulted at the Venus Porn Theatre and I thought it was important to keep raising this issue of Violence toward drug-addicted survival sex trade workers at the Venus Porn Palace. I have included a previous email complaint that I sent to City Councillor, Tim Stevenson and former Councillor, Ellen Woodsworth, a couple of years back. No action ever came about.

Last week, I lodged another official complaint with Assistant City Manager, Wendy Au over this latest incident.

Let's see what happens this time?

JLH


--- "Woodsworth, Ellen" <ellen.woodsworth@vancouver.ca> wrote:
> From: "Woodsworth, Ellen"> <ellen.woodsworth@vancouver.ca>> To: 'tricia foxx' <tricia_foxx@yahoo.com>> Subject: RE: Official Complaint over Violence at> Venus Theater> Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2005 14:50:34 -0800 > >

Dear Jamie,> > I have asked the Chief of Police to get back to me> immediately regarding> what they are doing about the Venus. I completely> agree that this is not> acceptable. I will also ask the Mayor to intervene.> I will get back to you> as soon as I am able.> > Sincerely,> > Ellen Woodsworth> Vancouver City Councillor> 604 873-7245> > >

-----Original Message-----> From: tricia foxx [mailto:tricia_foxx@yahoo.com] > Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 1:21 PM> To: Tim Stevenson> Cc: Ellen Woodsworth> Subject: Official Complaint over Violence at Venus> Theater> > > February 26, 2005> > Via Email> > Councilor Tim Stevenson> Councilor Ellen Woodsworth> > This is Jamie Lee Hamilton and I am officially> writing> to you regarding the mistreatment, abuse and> violence> of drug addicted sex trade workers at the city> licensed Venus Porn Theater located at 701 Main> street. > > This issue of harm directed at the drug addicted> girls> who frequent the Venus theater was brought to the> publics attention six months ago in a featured story> of the Vancouver Courier paper.> > To date, nothing has been done and the women who use> the Venus continue to be mistreated and harmed.> > What is distressing and disturbing is that the gay> community who also use the theater for their public> sex needs have taken to hurling abuse and making> derogatory statements against the women on their gay> message board--Squirt.org--which is owned by Pink> Triangle Press. In fact, one of the most recent> comments attributes drug addicted female sex workers> with spreading Aids. > > I also draw your attention to the following. The> city> has undertaken a campaign to close businesses in the> Downtown Eastside for selling single cigarettes,> stolen make-up and a couple of DVD players. In fact,> eight (8) businesses in the Downtown Eastside since> January, 2005 have had their business licenses> revoked. In all of theses cases, considerable police> and city resources were used to gather evidence. > > Yet it seems the city and police department are> turning a blind eye to the goings on at the Venus,> even though numbers of complaints have been> registered. It seems that class issues are at play> in Vancouver. This is the> most probable conclusion since the women at the> Venus are drug addicted and> engaged in the survival sex trade. > > While violence at the Venus Theater seems to be> accepted and not spoken about, this raises very > troubling concerns. I had really hoped that the city> and police had learned from the mistakes of the past> involving the missing women's cases a number of> years> back, however, this seems not to be the case. > > One can only speculate as to why the city is> throwing> all its police and city resources into closing> businesses which sell single cigarettes, yet can't> seem to properly address the growing violence of> females at a city licensed porn theater.> > It should also be noted Councilors Woodsworth and> Stevenson, that the escalating attacks appearing on> local gay message boards against those involved in> the> survival sex trade and at the Venus theater is not> acceptable. > > By not addressing these types of what can best be> described as hate issues, one questions whether an> escalation of this violence will happen as it did> similar to the countless murders and victimization> of> sex trade workers in the downtown eastside.> > This issue of anonymous assaults, victimization and> violence needs to be made a number one priority of> council and the mayor. Just asking for a report back> is not satisfactory. Action needs to be undertaken> to> ensure women in the survival sex trade at the Venus> Porn theater are kept out of harm's way.> > I await your response.> > Sincerely> > Jamie Lee Hamilton