Even before its official launch, an innovative campaign to deter men from picking up sex trade workers and discourage sexual exploitation was making its mark. #Dearjohn was trending in Edmonton Tuesday night, prior to a news conference announcing the project Wednesday.
“This is a momentous occasion,” says Alec Stratford, community capacity builder with Edmonton’s Neighbourhood Empowerment Team (NET). “The community is celebrating its break up with johns.”
NET teamed up with Edmonton Police for the campaign, which will take place on the ground level along 118 Avenue, and online.
“The idea is to get lots of engagement online using social media,” explains Stratford.
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“There’s a blog posted today on the Transforming Edmonton website in which you can read the original “dear” letter from the community to johns, letting them know it’s over, we’re breaking up with them.”
NET has created a blog where Edmontonians can write letters to johns, or tweet their messages using the hashtag #dearjohn. People have already been tweeting for the cause. Jessica Potts wrote “#Dearjohn that disease you picked up from the girl – realized you probably just passed it to your wife.” Cora Shaw tweeted “#dearjohn we want our streets back!” U of A Safewalk wrote “#Dearjohn Please help students pay high tuition with progressive social programs, not sexual exploitation. Bad excuse, for a bad deed.”
In addition, large street signs with messages to johns will be rotated through the neighbourhood, displaying comments to deter men from supporting prostitution.
“If you see a sign that’s talking to you, and your thoughts are on ‘I’m going to pick up a sex trade worker,’ you’re going to think twice,” says EPS Constable Kurtis Hauptman.
Haupman says the residents really took initiative in coming up with the ‘dear john’ campaign. “The community’s saying, let’s deal with this, let’s make sure it doesn’t continue to happen, and what can we do to not allow the johns on our Ave anymore.”
Stratford agrees. “This is a community intolerant of its safety being compromised.”
To report a prostitution-related crime, Hauptman suggests using the EPS website’s Report-a-John page.
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