Prostitution Should Be Illegal in Canada Essay

Canada is a nation renown as a liberal-leaning, forward nation; promoting the advancement of women in all parts of the world. However, it is a nation guilty of punishing women for the circumstances in which they find themselves with laws showing an antiquated view on the issue of prostitution—one that prosecutes sex workers instead of those who take advantage of women’s situations and buy sexual services. BY examining the origins of current-day laws concerning prostitution in Canada and looking at European legislation as well as its successes and failures made it is possible to find a middle ground that will suit Canada should it ever decide to change its laws concerning prostitution.

Canadian prostitution, the practice of exchanging money for sexual services” (Shaver, 2011) originally started in the 1800’s, and has never been an illegal act Canada. However, the dangers of the job, and safety risks these women are exposed to have always been prevalent on Canadian streets. The most common form of prostitution when the trade was established was off street prostitution. This can be defined as, “Prostitution that is issued out of escort agencies, massage parlours, private residences, brothels, bars, clubs, trick pads and bathhouses” (“Fact Sheet,” n.d.). [Correct Citation?]This industry thrived for decades with little no to police presence as the newly created transcontinental railways transported large masses of single men to the west coast. However, in 1890, new legal constrains, which were now enforced, made operating brothers a challenge and forced street prostitution to become more common, “street prostitution is a form of prostitution in which a sex worker solicits customers from a public place, most commonly a street, while waiting at street corners or walking alongside a street, but also other public places such as parks, benches, etc. The street prostitute is often dressed in a provocative manner.” (Shaver, 2011). When the number of women working the streets increased, the safety level decreased. In order to expand one’s knowledge on the dangers of female street prostitution, one must fully comprehend the differences between the two forms of

Additional prohibitions are placed on any advertising for sexual services which include newspapers, online, or other forms of media (Department of Justice Canada, 2014). This policy is greatly influenced by the Swedish Model argues that it is society’s responsibility to outlaw the purchase of sexual services on the understanding that ‘women are vulnerable’ and sex trade is never a choice (Cosh, 2014). Mainly, the new prohibitions will be supported by $20 million in new funding, with an emphasis on programs that can help individuals exit prostitution.

As part of McGill’s Community Engagement Day, I went on a walking tour of Montréal’s historical Red Light District presented by Karen Herland, professor and specialist in the history of prostitution. Her historical analysis (personal communication, October 2, 2015) of the neighbourhood gave great insights on morality and legislation issues regarding sex work, specifically about the relationship between authorities and prostitution as well as some of the impacts that these laws and other attitudes that regulate sex work have on women. Her astute reports lead us to the following proposition: the dynamics between authorities and sex work indicates that under the guise of “morality”, the laws in place and their application did not actually oppose sex work, they rather worked to limit women’s emancipation.

Prostitution has been a part of our world's culture since the beginning of time, and is the world's oldest profession. Prostitution is defined by the Webster dictionary as “the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money.” If prostitution were legalized, there would a reduction in sex crimes, American citizens would have the freedom to choose any profession within the sex industry and it would provide economic benefits for the local and federal governments, as well as the population.

Overall, Bill C-36 attempts to create a new legal framing for prostitution in Canada and is rooted in the belief that prostitution is inherently violent and exploitative; therefore the intent is to protect sex workers from exploitation, protect communities from the harms caused by prostitution, and reduce the demand for sexual services. The framework of Bill C-36 seeks to “denounce and prohibit the purchase of sexual services, procurement of persons for the purposes of prostitution and the development of economic interests in the prostitution of others” (Canadian Criminal Justice Association, 2014). Even though the aim of Bill C-36 is to protect victims from exploitation and/or prevent exploitative situations, it does so at the expense of the lives of those in the sex trade. Bill C-36 creates the environment for exploitation to flourish by only

Prostitution is an issue that has been debated in many countries. 22 countries have legalized prostitution. In the United States, prostitution is only legal in 11 rural counties in Nevada. It used to be legal in Rhode Island due to a loophole, but since 2009, it has been illegal 1. Women are not the only ones who are prostitutes, about 20 to 30% of prostitutes are male 2, which means both genders are affected by laws against prostitution. Men and women should be allowed to choose how they want to use their bodies how they wish, and that includes prostitution.

Sex work is a very controversial topic and many individuals are passionate about what they believe. Regardless of the moral arguments, beliefs and disbeliefs, every person in Canada owns the right to have their human rights as well as their health respected one hundred percent. The Courts of Canada have focused on the precise question of whether or not Canada's current laws abide by the Constitution and serve to protect the human rights of the persons engaging in sex work.

In Canada it is not illegal or a crime to sell sex in exchange of cash. It is also a source of issue for the supreme court of judgment to strike down prostitution laws and make changes. Also sex workers involved in various sexual activities were against the law. The old regime of Canada contained three pillars that stated it illegal for sex workers to own brothels and work in these places. It is seen that in Canada the sex selling business is totally legal. The three pillars of the old regime were declined by the Supreme Court. And also gave positive signals that new rules will be coming in Ottawa. The new rule will also consider the risks and safety of the sex workers. From various researches it has been found that the court agrees since prostitution is legal. There is no chance for Ottawa regulate prostitution. Parliament has the authority to take legal steps about prostitution without health and safety measures of the sex workers. It is illegal for prostitutes that did business in the same place and employed receptionist or security in public society. The court mentioned that people that are doing these things are risking their

Canada is seen as a renowned country that is liberal-leaning and an evolving nation, that promotes the progression and development of women all over the world. However, this is not the case under every circumstance; because as a government and society they are guilty of punishing those that are involved with prostitution. The laws that are in place (i.e. Bill C-36), show an antiquated view on the ideology/issue of prostitution; which is one that not only prosecutes sex workers but also affects their means of creating a stable income, as well as affecting their personal safety by forcing them to conduct their business in dangerous environments in order to prevent themselves from being charged/arrested. If the Canadian Government were to assess the various countries that have legalized prostitution, and examine the successes and failures presented by those legislations; then they could successfully create a realistic law concerning prostitution that meets a middle ground for both parties. Although prostitution may technically be “legal”, the acts that surround the issue are still considered to be illegal, such as: the advertisement of sexual services, purchasing said sexual services, financially benefit from the money received from said activities, and etc. The legalization of prostitution within Canada is not a newfound issue, and has always been a controversial issue. Therefore, within this essay I will be providing a summary of the “Attorney General of Canada vs. Bedford”

Thesis: The criminalization of prostitution does more harm than good when often women are left unprotected, both socially and legally, and therefore, the United States should make efforts to decriminalize and regulate prostitution instead.

It is noted, that arrests and fines are not much of a deterrent, since prostitutes quickly return to the streets to sell sex. (Ivie, 2013). By and large, during the 1980’s several of the larger cities in the United states spent more money on enforcing prostitution laws, than on education, public welfare, health care and hospitals (Raymond, 2013). This should be deemed as unacceptable in such a modern day society. Prostitution, whether done in the alleyways of downtown Columbia, or bedroom of a five star hotel, it is not going anywhere. Those who have no emotional or spiritual connection to sex, will never view it the same way as people who do. Criminalizing prostitution has failed to diminish or eradicate its existence.

Prostitution and human trafficking are taking place all over the world despite the legal restrictions put upon them. According to Ronald Weitzer, “The sex industry refers to the workers, managers, owners, agencies, clubs, trade associations, and marketing involved in sexual commerce, both legal and illegal varieties” (1). There are many questions that arise when discussing the sex industry. Should prostitution be legalized? If it were to be legalized, would anything change? Is prostitution morally acceptable? What is being done to stop human trafficking? There is not one correct answer for any these questions, but each question can be analyzed by scholars who have different opinions on the issue. Prostitution should be legal while

Legalizing prostitution would be beneficial to the government and sex workers by creating tax revenue, bettering medical care, and protecting prostitutes against violence. Prostitution is viewed differently throughout society and holds a lot of negative opinions but no one really discuss’ the benefits of prostitution being legalized throughout America. Many people believe in legalizing Marijuana not knowing its positivity and negativity. When legalizing prostitution you should look at the overall impact and the influence it would have on the government. Legalizing prostitution could generate more tax revenue in the government, protect prostitutes from harm and also lower STD and health risks.

One of the oldest legal debates comes from one of the world's oldest profession, prostitution, there is no denying that the sex industry has taken international dimensions and is recognized as an economic motor for many countries. As countries around the world debate the merits of legalizing or at least decriminalizing prostitution. The following questions should be addressed. Would legalization reduce some of the inequalities and abuse suffered by the women involved? On the other hand, by legitimizing prostitution, would society reverse decades of work to promote human rights and improve the status of women? On the surface, this looks like a rehashing of a timeless debate. However, it is not. The question is no longer about