Sagittarius
This person said Trisha and I "profess" to be ex-sex trade workers. I’m not sure what she means by saying we profess to be ex-sex trade workers, but I know I’m proud to say I’m not still in the profession. I won’t disrespect myself ever again giving myself to strangers.
When we were chosen to cover the Robert Pickton trial it was because we walked alongside some of the missing women and lived the same lifestyle. In other words, we could relate.
Orato came up with a great idea to volunteer a year of our lives (expenses paid) and get up close and personal to the one that took our friends' lives. We not only presented observations of Robert Pickton and his trial, but also wrote of our lives down on Hasting Street in Vancouver, and how it related to the trial events.
Exploited? It’s not as though Orato cuffed us and strapped us down to our seats in the courtroom. I think we offered something other media people couldn't. How many other people in media had the experience of living one minute at a time to survive?
Why not give us a chance to open up society's eyes about what life was like, not only for us, but also for Marnie Frey, Mona Wilson, Goergina Papin, Brenda Wolfe, Andrea Joesbury and Sereena Abotsway.
It was also a great experience for me, and now I know what I want to do for the rest of my life. It opened up doors for a new career. Journalism is a better way to get your point across instead of being so negative and harping on someone about something. A certain individual has done nothing more than verbalize a lot of hot air about the sex trade.
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Re: No One Exploits Pauline VanKoll
By pdgower, December 25, 2007 at 10:44I am so happy that you have come to the point in your life where you can say that, and mean it.
I feel I have come to know you and Trish over the past year and I am going to miss you both, thank you for pouring your heart out to us. I feel you have helped me, and a lot of others to get through the horrors of the trial, would have been more difficult without you. Hope you have a Merry Christmas, and know you have touched at least me with your stories.
Thank You
Re: No One Exploits Pauline VanKoll
By luyen, December 21, 2007 at 11:02I think in the face of such an untraditional approach to media, a more human approach i'd dare say, a lot of people, no doubt some in traditional media are/were taken aback - not knowing how to react to this. Already the world of traditional media has changed significantly with the internet, youtube, facebook, cam-corders etc etc... - i'm not surprised to see people blow things out of proportion.
I think we all benefit from different perspectives, as long as they are never presented as the absolute truth, the final conclusion... - this happens when you watch traditional media, as unbiased as news organizations try to be, they still give a point of view...and we all need lots of point of views to keep an open mind.
Re: No One Exploits Pauline VanKoll
By tdsracer, December 19, 2007 at 18:01Congratulations to you Pauline...you have done yourself proud. What hard work it must have been to get away from the lifestyle you were living. You have also helped society by moving away from that life, by showing others what you have they may feel they can do it too! Keep on reporting and know that many people will see that you were not exploited, but instead were an informed individual who was very giving to share her experience with the world. I applaud you and will mention you and Orato to others often, so that we can all learn more about what you lived and the positive choice you made for yourself. I wish you success in your new career...you have done what others wish to do with their lives. Thank you for sharing Pauline.