Some prostitutes were busted trying to trade sex for money.
STEP is a pre-charge program for sex trade workers.
They are given the choice to be diverted out of the legal system by taking a series of workshops. It was formed in 1995 in response to complaints from Ottawa residents, including those in Centretown, about the effects of street-level prostitution. Gloria Savage, who runs STEP at the Salvation Army court office, says a former prostitute talks about how she got out of the sex trade. Workshops are held about every three months on preventing and dealing with HIV and AIDS, sexual assault, abusive relationships and addictions. They are also taught how to work towards financial stability.