53% of Canadians support decriminalizing prostitution - Poll

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

The latest Angus Reid poll on prostitution in Canada show that public opinion remains basically unchanged:

 

June 2011:

 

53% Support decriminalization

24% Support criminalization

 

Comparative numbers from past polls -

 

Oct 2010:

 

49% Supported decriminalization

24% Supported criminalization

 

Oct 2009:

 

50% Supported decriminalization

25% Supported criminalization

 

The new poll has not yet been publicly released by Angus Reid. It has been released first to CTV.

 

Jon Woodward reports for CTV News, 4 July 2011:

 

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110704/bc_prostitution_poll_110704/20110704/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

 

 

A new survey says a majority of Canadians believe prostitution should be completely decriminalized, with British Columbians voicing the strongest approval.

 

According to a survey by Angus Reid Public Opinion, 53 per cent of Canadians support making it legal to run a bawdy house and solicit, while 24 per cent of people believe prostitution should be made a criminal act.

 

In B.C., 57 per cent believed the government should not block the sale of sex, while only 18 per cent supported a complete ban.

 

"The idea of consensual prostitution is something that is definitely resonating and a lot of people think that is the way to go," said pollster Mario Canseco.

 

The poll comes as an Ontario court is deliberating whether to allow an appeal of a ruling that threw out Canada's prostitution laws. The poll was provided to CTV News in advance of its public release.

 

Currently, the selling sex legal, but negotiating a price, living off the avails of prostitution and running a bawdy house are all illegal.

 

Two-thirds of men believed those activities should be decriminalized, while only 16 per cent supported prohibiting prostitution entirely. Fourteen per cent thought we should continue with the status quo, while four per cent were not sure.

 

Women were much more divided in the response, though a greater proportion of them favoured decriminalization, at 41 per cent. Some 31 per cent believed prostitution should be prohibited.

 

"It's a question of exploitation," said Canseco. "Women tend to believe that if you're working in the sex trade industry, you're doing it not of your free will."

 

However, when it came to a question of improving women's safety, women were more likely to support decriminalization, he said.

 

A majority of Canadians over 35 supported decriminalization, while only 43 per cent of Canadians under 35 supported such a measure.

 

The poll was conducted by two separate surveys of 1,002 and 1,009 Canadians between June 21 and June 29. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

 

Before the survey questions were asked, seven out of ten Canadians admitted believing that prostitution was already illegal.

 

"When people think something is illegal they're more likely to think is should be illegal," said Simon Fraser University criminologist John Lowman. "Which means the support for decriminalization might be stronger than it appeared."

[Capital Hunter 18263]

Thanks for this WIT. Interesting results though surprising that BC comes first in openmindedness. while 53% support decriminalization only 24% support criminalizing it. If I remember correctly only 8% of Canadians supported the Swedish style of prostitutuion law which buying (not selling) sex is illegal.

 

In a true democracy an MP will follow their constitutents' wish. It remains to be seen whether our MPs are going to vote that democractic way against the imposed bill which makes buying sex illegal or they are going to be forced by their party to vote against the wish of their constitutents and vote for the bill and ban buying sex.

 

The government in power is doing it in a sleazy way though. They are bringing the bill to make buying sex illegal under the cover of fighting human trafficking and pimping and underage exploitation so that to have more than 24% support for their idiotic action.

[Guest s******ecan****]

In further thought re the "Pivate Members Bill" aspect. These items tend to get much less public scutiny since they are not part of the formal agenda of the government. This may make it more difficult to generate press and opposition activity against the bill.

[Megan'sTouch 23875]

Interesting results though surprising that BC comes first in openmindedness.

I'm not surprised at all since Robert Pickton is so fresh in their minds.

[Guest s******ecan****]

It is a proven fact that laws restricting prostituion always drive the activity underground and that when conducted underground the activity becomes more dangerous for the providers.

 

I would think imposition of the Swedish Model would continue to pose serious problems for escorts from a "sceening" point of view. Many clients already object to screening from a privacy point of view now they would have to be concerned they may be dealing with undercover LE.

 

So the SP may find herself in the dilema of choosing between less screening or fewer clients.

 

Many have pointed out how this new law could be enforced? Putting myself in the mind of LE I would think creating undercover online personas or phony agencies would be the way to go about it. Would that eliminate prostitution? No, but a continued well publisized online operation that produces the occaisional prosecution could have an impact, especially on new hobbyists.

 

Established SP's may be able to operate with existing clientle since screening has been done and the client knows the SP is not LE but the finding of new clients would be more difficult.

[Megan'sTouch 23875]

I would think imposition of the Swedish Model would continue to pose serious problems for escorts from a "sceening" point of view. Many clients already object to screening from a privacy point of view now they would have to be concerned they may be dealing with undercover LE.

Absolutely. How many hobbiests do you think will provide with me their phone number or a reference, if they know they are incriminating themselves?

 

Not to mention that hobbiests won't report exploitation or human trafficking. I truly believe that 99% of clients give a damn about us and that if one of you were to show up for an appointment, only to find an underage/exploited/forced situation, that you would not proceed with the appointment and notify police.

 

How many hobbiests will report if they could be criminalized?

 

Hobbiests are not our enemy. They are KEY to stopping exploitation, underage workers, and human trafficking. Who knows more about what's going on than hobbiests? If we want to stop exploitation/underage/human trafficking, we need to work WITH hobbiests and not demonize and alienate them.

[etasman2000 15994]

I would think imposition of the Swedish Model would continue to pose serious problems for escorts from a "sceening" point of view.

 

Turn to the US where sex work is illegal, except in certain parts of Nevada. Escorts and client alike rely on third party verification or just plainly take the risk of a bust. I suspect there will be this polarization should the bill pass and actively enforce.

[Capital Hunter 18263]

I'm not surprised at all since Robert Pickton is so fresh in their minds.

 

To add to my surprise as I recall BC sending so many Con MPs to Ottawa in the last election, just two months ago. You are likely correct in your assumption though.

 

I have never been to BC but have been to other western provinces (Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan) and found them too conservative. In Saskatchewan for example even stripping is illegal where patrons are drinking!!!!!. I find Central Canada especially Quebec most openminded when it comes to sex industry and also other social issues. So, I expected that any poll would show Quebecers to be more open to legalization of sex trade than Western Canadians lol!!!.

[twoblues 258]

Bah, polls are so out of date these days.

 

It should really emphasize "53% of people who responded to the poll which is made up of a small number of people who don't hang up right away".

[Alexandra-Sky 12606]

The name of this poll should read "53% of Canadians are logical and support consensual sex"

[fortunateone 156618]

They don't call it Vangroovy for no reason, folks.

 

Doesn't surprise me one bit if BC shows a more liberal POV. The vote results go the way they go because more lefty voters split their #s. Green party actually has a candidate voted in (or close to it?) well, that isn't isolated incident, so any votes that might have been NDP without the GP candidates, would have made a different outcome altogether, and everyone would know for sure its the Left Coast lol.

 

The poll might have come about around the time the news was trying to cover exposing mps, and the push by the city of Vancouver to have massage parlours more open to sex workers instead of cracking down on them. Also, as mentioned, the street sex worker stories being in the news due to the Picton trials, etc, keeps people more generous minded on the topic.