When I woke up in Ottawa back in July 2014 after flying in from out west, there was a huge knot in my stomach. I did not want to go to the morning hearings on C-36, the anti-prostitution bill proposed in response to the Bedford decision that had invalidated three sections of Canada’s prostitution laws. But… Continue reading Testifying In Vain
Tag: Bedford v. Canada
Canada’s Doomed Compromise On Prostitution Laws
On June 4, Canada’s Justice Minister Peter MacKay introduced Bill C-36. According to the Pivot Legal Society, this legislation will, if passed, criminalize “the purchase of sex, communicating for the purpose of selling sex, gaining material benefit from sex work, and advertising sexual services.” It would be functionally impossible to establish brothels, agencies, and sex… Continue reading Canada’s Doomed Compromise On Prostitution Laws
The Week In Links—April 4
Amnesty International will be debating their policy on sex work this weekend at their annual meeting in Chicago. (You can sign this petition supporting an Amnesty policy change in favor of decriminalization here.) Unfortunately, the only article we could find on the event is littered with quotes like this one: ” “Virtually all people who prostitute themselves were first… Continue reading The Week In Links—April 4
Prostitution Laws: Protecting Canada’s Crackers Since 1867
The stated legislative objectives of the prostitution laws that the Canadian Supreme Court recently struck down in Bedford v. Canada were the prevention of public nuisances and the exploitation of prostitutes. However, upon closer examination of the history of these laws, their real objectives become transparent. Canada’s anti-prostitution laws were really there to protect society’s… Continue reading Prostitution Laws: Protecting Canada’s Crackers Since 1867
The Week In Links—February 14th
Trafficking survivor Jes Richardson offers a concise, helpful critique of most ‘rescue’ operations: “When someone is rescued the power, strength, courage, and control is placed in the hands of the rescuers, rather than empowering the person being rescued.” Here are a few “no duh” sex tips from sex worker Siouxsie Q. This guy read Melissa… Continue reading The Week In Links—February 14th