prostitution in canada

To Decriminalize prostitution, means to take away ALL prostitution laws from the Criminal Code. This does not mean that pimps will be able to operate freely as there are laws against extortion, coercion, forcible confinement, assault, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault (having sex without protection while knowingly having a sexually transmitted infection), threatening, and child exploitation to name a few. What this means is that the prostitute is no longer a criminal under the law, and if he/she decides to go to the police to report an assault there will be no fear of him/her being at risk of being charged themselves with a prostitution related offense (which is currently not uncommon when prostitutes report acts of violence to the police).

In places like New South Wales, and New Zealand where prostitution is decriminalized, sex workers can freely work from their homes, a brothel or even the streets (as long as it’s at least 200 meters away from a school, hospital or place of worship. Please note that if a street prostitute is making a scene that there are nuisance laws to deal with that.).

One of the biggest reasons why advocates and experts on sex work are calling on the federal government to decriminalize prostitution is due to the fact that the majority of the laws against prostitutes put sex workers in a very dangerous position. For example, the Bawdy House laws make it illegal to for a sex worker to work from his/her own environment, home or a brothel making them work either on the street or at the home of a client (usually a stranger), putting them in possible unsafe saturations. Another example are the pimping laws that makes it illegal for us to hire drivers, work with other sex workers, hire a body guard, or work for an employer. But probably the most talked about law is the Communication law born in 1985 to replace the old ‘solicitation laws’,bans negotiating the payment for a sex act. The law is forcing sex workers to take risks they otherwise might not — like getting into a car with a man, or having to hid in darkly lit or dangerous places to avoid being arrested. It also makes it difficult for sex workers to call the police if they are victims of violence. Since this law has been enacted violence and murders against sex workers have risen dramatically.

In 2003, New Zealand decriminalized sex work, which resulted in these changes: operators of brothels are required to be licensed, to safeguard the human rights of sex workers and to adopt and promote safe sex practices; soliciting is no longer an offence; and people under 18 years of age are prohibited from becoming sex workers and providing commercial sexual services.

Why Decriminalization of Prostitution is Morally the Right Thing to do

• My Body's My Business! My body is solely the responsibility of me, I own it, not the government and not the public. What I do with MY body with another consenting adult is MY business, not anyone else’s. Note to the government: STAY OUT OF MY UNDERWEAR!
• It's Morally the right thing to do. Whether or not you like what prostitutes do for a living is your personal choice. Jailing people, giving them arrest records, taking children, and shaming them for not living the same lifestyle as you is IMMORAL as well as discriminating.
• It will help to decrease child prostitution. With adult prostitution laws removed from the criminal code, the police can focus harder on fighting child exploitation. The man power that went into sting operations and arresting adult prostitutes would be better spent fighting abuses against children, including child prostitution.
• Decriminalization will create LESS street prostitution. With decriminalization sex workers would be able to work from home (which is currently illegal and carries a MUCH higher sentence then working outside), at a brothel, or a safe house. Why work in Canadian winters if you don’t have to?
• Help to end violence against women. Since prostitutes will no longer be viewed as criminals they will have an easier time going to the police for help when an act of violence is done to them, as they will not have the fear of being charged themselves with a prostitution related offence.
•  Pump more money into our economy. Everyone knows pro's make good money, that's no secret. With decriminalization prostitutes would be required to pay business taxes, and with that extra money we might be able to save our ailing health care system, maybe?
• Help get more women OUT of prostitution. Ever wonder why so many women charged with prostitution keep hooking? Cause it's fucken hard to get a job with a criminal record, and even harder when the crime is prostitution, a sex offence, meaning don't ever think of working at ANY job where kids will be present at.
• Get rid of the pimps. Since prostitutes would now have police and legal protection their wouldn't be a need for pimps to "look out for them", also women would be more likely to report an abusive pimp knowing that she herself wouldn't get charged with a prostitution related offence.