CUP Aims & Objectives

The name says it all, doesn't it?
A new organization aimed at helping prostitutes get it together to identify common concerns and make their voices heard. Anyone committed to promoting sex-worker solidarity can join.

Wanna Join CUP?

Apply to become a CUP member!
Send us your name, a way to contact you, a short description of your reasons for wanting to join and a list of skills or services you would like to volunteer. You can send your application either by email or by post to the CUP addresses listed below.

CUP Projects & Initiatives

$WE@&R! Sex Workers' Workbook
2005 Edition (Canada) By A. Sorfleet
"$WE@&R! began wth an idea to create a fun and easy-to-use way to gather opinions from workers in the sex industry about laws, policies, regulations and benefits. We wanted to create an alternative to academic research — something that encouraged community development and greater worker involvement in legal reforms that affect work life…"

• $WE@&R! Cover (PDF: COVER.PDF)
• $WE@&R! $ex (PDF: SEX.PDF)
• $WE@&R! Work (PDF: WORK.PDF)
• $WE@&R! Education (PDF: EDUCATION.PDF)
• $WE@&R! Advocacy (PDF: ADVOCACY.PDF)
• $WE@&R! Research! (PDF: RESEARCH.PDF)

CUP Purse Project
Wanna help a fellow hooker who's down on her luck?
CUP is collecting small, used purses in good condition and stylish make-up bags to give out as goodie bags on some of Vancouver's strolls. You can donate purses and bags, or any of the following goodies they'll be stuffed with:

• Unused make-up such as compacts, lipstick, nail polish, mascquera,
• eye shadow and samples
• one-zone bus tickets
• five-dollar bills
• personal size tissue (Kleenex)
• sandwich bags (for cleaning up)
• pre-moistened towelettes (Wet Naps)
• hand sanitizer
• lubricant packets
• condoms
• CUP matches
• CUP buttons
• CUP key fobs

You can send your donations care of:

• CUP
  Box 3075, Main Post Office
  Vancouver, BC
  V6B 3X6

CUP Ho-Movie Night
Coming soon! Stay tuned for upcoming events.
CUP will be regularly hosting Ho-Movie Nights featuring academy award-winning favourites, cult classics, foreign films and independent productions. Email your nomination for CUP Best Ho-Movie of All-TIme and your other movie-screening suggestions to cup@walnet.org, or you can leave a voicemail message at 604.488.0710.

CUP Press Clippings

Letter to the Vancouver Sun, in response to a thread of letters and articles about a Vancouver committee set up to deal with prostitution, called Living in Community.

• Voice of the People: Less well-off sex workers need a protected site
  Vancouver Sun, October 5, 2006
• Voice of the People: Safe zones victimize prostitutes even more
  Vancouver Sun, October 3, 2006
• Safe zones for sex-trade workers the easy way out for politicians
  Vancouver Sun, September 29, 2006
• 'Safe' zones suggested for sex workers: No-go areas also in coalition's plan of action
  Vancouver Sun, September 26, 2006

Letter to the Metro about the degrading ad campaign by PEERS Vancouver along with their response.

• Letters: Campaign meant to raise awareness
  Metro, September 25, 2006
• Letters: New campaign perpetuates stigma
  Metro, September 21, 2006

CUP Information & Resources

Trials of the Sex Trade: A Survival Guide to Canada's Legal Jungle
Produced in Toronto and published in 1995 by the Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver. This set of six booklets explains in plain English how Canadian laws make most ways of working in the sex trade illegal. There are also info cards on topics such as dealing with police officers.

• Trials of the Sex Trade: Table of Discontents
  Includes list of the relevant sections in the Criminal Code.