Faith leaders in Victoria are condemning the approach taken by the Harper government and Abbotsford’s police Chief Bob Rich in insisting on treating prostitution as a criminal offence.
Rich’s Abbotsford Police Department (APD) recently recommended bawdy house charges in Abbotsford despite the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision that such charges are unconstitutional.
Faith leaders in Victoria have denounced the approach summed up by Rev. Alastair McCollum from St. John the Divine who told the Victoria Times Colonist, “My reason for endorsing this is based on my conviction there is no one of any less value than someone else.”
How Rich intends to square his political stance on prostitution with his stated religious beliefs remains and his role as a police officer remains to be seen.
Rich’s approach to drugs, drug addiction and homelessness resembles much of what faith leaders are condemning.
[excerpt] Faith leaders in Victoria and across the country are speaking out against a federal prostitution bill they say increases potential dangers for sex workers and is immoral.“This is a human rights issue,” said Bruce Bryant-Scott, rector at St. Matthias Anglican Church. “We’re concerned about the health, safety and lives of sex workers.”
On Friday, he released a statement of concern about the legislation signed by a consortium of 34 clergy and faith groups. Most are Anglicans from Vancouver Island; about half are women. They include hospital chaplains, university professors, nuns, a reverend mother from Toronto, First Nations and divinity students.
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treating prostitution as a criminal offense.”
I believe the prositutes operating out of the residence in Abbotsford
are not being charged but the person having street workers sell
sex and profiting off the avails of their sex acts..that is collecting a portion of the funds made in prostitution is being charged.
What is a bawdy House? This is a single zoned residential house..
I ask the Anglican church, since when is “moral” and right for someone to have such an operation, which uses sex workers for profit and creates great risk by having sex for sale in residential family oriented neighborhoods?
Clearly, the Supreme court has made a ruling which may bring sex workers indoors but needs to revisit this ruling, since it puts many
others at risk and infringes on the rights of others, who have
right t live in safe, healthy living environments.
” Bruce Bryant-Scott, rector at St. Matthias Anglican Church. “We’re concerned about the health, safety and lives of sex workers.”
Buddy, if you are really concerned about prostitutes, you will preach the gospel of salvation, in Jesus Christ, who died for all of lost humanity. You Mr. preacher will return to the Word of the living God, to find there the answers for our broken world.
Oh, its the oldest profession, we can’t ever stop men wanting sex outside of a committed, loving marraige. Blah, blah, blah!
Prostitution is a horror. It degrades the object of perverted lust. It defiles that precious human being into a piece of meat to satisfy this union intended by our creator as the highest bond between the sexes.
I’ve spent some 12 years with a lot of prison women. Sexual violence is a major reason that some of these women, with so much potential, end up incarcerated.
Prostitutes are so disgusted by the pigs who use their bodies that they have to drug themselves to get through the filth,……. so they can earn more money to deaden their awful existence.
Mike Archer, get off your stupid platform. I happen to think you really are a nice guy, but on this you are flat-dead wrong!