Ottawa Police are grappling with a problem in Vanier that goes beyond short-term fixes.
It’s a sad fact that in 2011 and 2012 Rideau-Vanier has the highest per capita rate of prostitution of all the wards in the city of Ottawa.
Officially at least prostitution numbers are down, and have been declining for a number of years. However, some residents say that they don’t feel that progress. Vanier resident Chantel Lavergne told the Ottawa Sun this past March that she’s tired of living in a ward with such a recurrent problem.
It seems that the Ottawa Police has been taking extra measures to deal with the problem. Two two-day sweeps in Vanier during the summer this year netted 39 “johns,” according to the Ottawa Citizen. It’s the arrest of johns that drive the numbers for prostitution crime statistics.
Considering that the total of actual offences from 2012 was 40, 2013 could be well on its way to an increase in the number of prostitution offences. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s a greater problem, said Inspector Chris Rheaume. Instead, it’s the result of increased police activity.
“I took over from the last inspector in September of last year. I just said ‘we’ve got to attack this, it’s a problem, it’s a community concern, so let’s go at it a little bit harder.”
The sweeps themselves are complaint-driven, Rheaume said. It makes residents feel better to see a strong police presence in problem areas, he said. But do the sweeps significantly reduce activity in the targeted areas?
“To tell you the truth, no. It does for a bit, then it goes right back,” Rheaume said.
And unfortunately john sweeps are one of the few cards that Ottawa Police has to play.
“Until the Bedford decision comes down the pipe, pretty much this is the only solution we have,” he said, referring to the Bedford vs. Canada case, which argues that Canada’s prostitution laws are unconstitutional. Currently the case is before the Supreme Court.
In the meantime, the most Rheaume can do is make Vanier residents feel satisfied that their police force is taking the matter seriously.
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