Sex workers urge Liberal government to decriminalize prostitution

[drlove 37204]

OTTAWA CITIZEN
Published on: December 17, 2015

[URL="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/sex-workers-urge-liberal-government-to-decriminalize-prostitution"]http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...e-prostitution[/URL]

[I]Ottawa-area sex trade workers are counting on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to do for them whatâ??s heâ??s promised to do for marijuana users: decriminalize their activities.[/I]

That was one of the messages delivered Thursday evening at a small demonstration downtown marking the annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. Carrying red umbrellas and holding candles, about 25 people gathered at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin Street to honour prostitutes whoâ??ve been subjected to violence at the hands of clients, predators, pimps and even police.

â??Weâ??re here tonight to honour sex workers whoâ??ve lost their lives to violence, and also demand an end to criminalization and stigma that puts sex workers at increase risk of violence,â? said Emily Symons, chairwoman of the board of directors of Prostitutes of Ottawa-Gatineau Work, Educate and Resist (POWER). â??We do know that violence against sex workers, including sexual assault, physical assault and murders, is extremely high.â?

POWER maintains that sex work is â??honourable, valuable work worthy of celebration,â? and that prostitutes are entitled to the same legal, human and labour rights as other Canadians. Its members say â??the decriminalization of sex work is imperative.â?

In particular, POWER is looking to the Liberal government to scrap the previous Conservative governmentâ??s â??harmful and unconstitutional lawsâ? on prostitution, she said.

Last year, the Conservative governmentâ??s Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, was enacted. While ostensibly intended to protect prostitutes, it has been criticized by organizations representing sex trade workers as further criminalizing prostitution and increasing the risk of violence against them.

Symons noted that during the recent federal election campaign the Liberal party committed to reforming prostitution laws in light of the Supreme Court of Canadaâ??s decision in 2013 â?? the so-called Bedford decision â?? recognizing that the health and safety of sex workers needs to given greater priority by the government.

â??They (the Liberals) made some promises â?¦ to review the prostitution laws and listen to sex workers, and so we want to hold them accountable to those promises,â? she said. â??Weâ??re hoping the new Liberal government will decriminalize sex work to make it so that sex workers can work more safely.

â??Sex workers have been waiting for a very long time for a legal framework that prioritizes their safety and rights. Repealing and replacing the previous governmentâ??s harmful and unconstitutional prostitution laws must be a priority.â?

Jennifer Bigelow, a former prostitute who says she was raped and nearly killed by an attacker in 2013, echoed that view, saying sheâ??s hopeful the Trudeau government will made it safer for prostitutes.

â??I want more safety for women, specifically sex trade workers,â? she said, â??He (Trudeau) seems to have more of an open mind.â?

[jguy00 790]

[QUOTE=drlove;721526]OTTAWA CITIZEN
Published on: December 17, 2015

[URL="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/sex-workers-urge-liberal-government-to-decriminalize-prostitution"]http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...e-prostitution[/URL]

[I]Ottawa-area sex trade workers are counting on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to do for them whatâ??s heâ??s promised to do for marijuana users: decriminalize their activities.[/I]

That was one of the messages delivered Thursday evening at a small demonstration downtown marking the annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. Carrying red umbrellas and holding candles, about 25 people gathered at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin Street to honour prostitutes whoâ??ve been subjected to violence at the hands of clients, predators, pimps and even police.

â??Weâ??re here tonight to honour sex workers whoâ??ve lost their lives to violence, and also demand an end to criminalization and stigma that puts sex workers at increase risk of violence,â? said Emily Symons, chairwoman of the board of directors of Prostitutes of Ottawa-Gatineau Work, Educate and Resist (POWER). â??We do know that violence against sex workers, including sexual assault, physical assault and murders, is extremely high.â?

POWER maintains that sex work is â??honourable, valuable work worthy of celebration,â? and that prostitutes are entitled to the same legal, human and labour rights as other Canadians. Its members say â??the decriminalization of sex work is imperative.â?

In particular, POWER is looking to the Liberal government to scrap the previous Conservative governmentâ??s â??harmful and unconstitutional lawsâ? on prostitution, she said.

Last year, the Conservative governmentâ??s Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, was enacted. While ostensibly intended to protect prostitutes, it has been criticized by organizations representing sex trade workers as further criminalizing prostitution and increasing the risk of violence against them.

Symons noted that during the recent federal election campaign the Liberal party committed to reforming prostitution laws in light of the Supreme Court of Canadaâ??s decision in 2013 â?? the so-called Bedford decision â?? recognizing that the health and safety of sex workers needs to given greater priority by the government.

â??They (the Liberals) made some promises â?¦ to review the prostitution laws and listen to sex workers, and so we want to hold them accountable to those promises,â? she said. â??Weâ??re hoping the new Liberal government will decriminalize sex work to make it so that sex workers can work more safely.

â??Sex workers have been waiting for a very long time for a legal framework that prioritizes their safety and rights. Repealing and replacing the previous governmentâ??s harmful and unconstitutional prostitution laws must be a priority.â?

Jennifer Bigelow, a former prostitute who says she was raped and nearly killed by an attacker in 2013, echoed that view, saying sheâ??s hopeful the Trudeau government will made it safer for prostitutes.

â??I want more safety for women, specifically sex trade workers,â? she said, â??He (Trudeau) seems to have more of an open mind.â?[/QUOTE]
Great post