Bad Date Sheet

    "We publish the bad date sheet so sex workers can share bad experiences and help protect each other. Please report any bad dates you have had anonymously and confidentially. You can report on line at www.___.org or leave a message on our hot-line number.
     "So what is a bad date? Anything that you do no want yourself or others to experience. Anytime you get that uneasy or creepy feeling, theft, refusal of payment, threats or all acts of violence are examples of a bad date. Shift workers will provide you with support, if you wish to report crimes agains you to the police.
     "*Dates vehicle description matches previous report.
     Date: August 9, 2011 at 2:00 AM
     Description of the Event: Worker reported that date went well until the end when the date dropped the worker off t 15th Ave and Centre St and requested a hug goodbye. The worker said no, at which point the date physically assaulted the worker, stole her purse and drove away.
     Description of the Vehicle: Right hand driving sports car.
     As Reported to: The Shift phone line.

      This Bad Date Sheet was dated September 11th, and had nine different events on it dating back to March. I found it in the STD clinic when I went at the end of September. I had no idea anything like this existed in the city. All of the incidences had one thing in common though. They all got in the clients car. That is my cardinal rule. I will not get in their car, and they will not get in my car, under any circumstance. I have had clients want to change venues, and I made them walk, because they weren't getting in my car. It also meant that all of these girls are out on the street. My heart really goes out to them. What an awful situation they're in. I would hate to get into men's cars all the time, not knowing where they're talking you, having to work in a car, getting harassed by the cops, dealing with the winter. All I can think is that it's just not fair. Especially for the girls who are forced in to it. I can't imagine anyone would do it willingly.    
    I am trying not to be hypocritical about it. It was only yesterday that I commented on how easy it was to innocently have completely inaccurate perceptions regarding this job, but I don't see any part of their job that is good. My client asked me yesterday if I was out on the streets as well. Man, if looks could kill. I wanted to ask if he was kidding. I was so insulted. So self-righteous. I just said, "No," and left it at that.
    Our office has a Bad Book. I look through it every week when I go in and pay my fees. They check each call before they refer it to one of the girls. I think there's been maybe three times when the agency has called me after I talked to the man, and told me that they forgot to check, and not to go on the call. I'd like to think that there are not times when they forget all together.
     I also keep my own black book. Some times if a guy is just to creepy, or unclean, I'll put him in there. I won't go see anyone named Norman for instance. I've had two bad Normans, the one who punched the wall, and one that was just gross and unclean. Norman is an uncommon enough name, that I'm just making it an across the board rule. Other girls can have the Normans. The lady at the agency got mad at me the other day because of my rule. She said this Norman sounded Mexican. Oh well. I'm categorising that under, 'Not My Problem.'