METH FUELS SEX TRADE

Hooker Boom

Growing numbers linked to drugs, say cops

A huge spike in the number of prostitutes working Edmonton's streets - the
first major increase in six years - further demonstrates the destructive
trail left by skyrocketing crystal meth addiction, say police and community
groups.

The highly addictive drug, which police chief Bob Wasylyshen last week said
could be behind a string of attacks against officers, is now being blamed
for an official count finding 320 hookers on city streets by the end of
September, compared to just over 250 for the whole of 2002.

"This is a huge step backwards for Edmonton," said JoAnn McCartney, a
former city vice cop who now runs a court diversion program for the
Prostitution Action and Awareness Foundation of Edmonton.

"Crystal meth is addicting people so fast and they need to get more. People
are coming on to the streets in droves."

AVAILABILITY OF CRYSTAL METH 'RAMPANT'

Sgt. Peter Kawalilak, who works in the city's north end and is also
president of the Alberta Federation of Police Associations, said meth
addiction is reaching into almost every corner of police work.

"The availability of this drug is now rampant and it would appear that
people get addicted much faster than (with) other drugs," he said. "There
is dire concern about it."

Health professionals are also becoming increasingly "scared" of the threat
posed by meth, said the director of the northern Alberta HIV program.

"Crystal meth seems to be pushing into new groups of people and that's
particularly alarming in terms of hepatitis C and HIV rates," said Dr. Stan
Houston, director of the northern Alberta HIV program.

Edmonton had a huge problem with prostitution in the 1990s - when the
number of street prostitutes was as high as 1,200 - said McCartney, who
worked as a city vice cop for a decade. But a series of successful support
and health programs has seen numbers from an annual count either drop or
remain stable for half a dozen years, she said.

"We were winning the battle," she said, adding housing shortages have also
contributed to the recent problems.

"But the numbers have been building since the beginning of the year and I
think it will be 400 - probably more - by the end of 2003. I think it's
going to continue to move (up) unless we get a handle on the whole thing
with drugs. We've lost huge ground."

Ward 3 Coun. Ed Gibbons said he's heard reports suggesting more hookers are
working inner-city streets, particularly in areas like Norwood and Beverly.
A new beat cop working 118 Avenue from 50 Street to 73 Street has helped to
ease residents' concerns but hasn't solved the problem, he said.

"Are we beating this problem? No, we are not."

Parkdale-Cromdale Community League president Sheila Bowker said her
community desperately wants a crackdown on the drug trade - from top to bottom.

WORST IN 10 YEARS

"118 Avenue is the worst I've seen it in 10 years for prostitutes," said
Bowker. "The people in this community have been ignored, but I'm glad to
hear Mayor (Bill) Smith is now acknowledging the drug problem. I was
concerned for a while he was only interested in a war on tobacco."

Smith's "call for action" against the city's drug problem last week drew
praise from some and condemnation from others.

Ward 5 Coun. Bryan Anderson said he supports Smith speaking out because he
helped to raise awareness, but "to simply say, 'We are going to get tough,
get out of town' and not have some kind of a concerted, organized plan"
isn't going to be enough, he said.

"I think that is going to take provincial and federal department and
municipal agencies to deal with it properly."