Submitted. Maggie’s – Toronto Sex Workers’ Action Project, along with sex workers and other experts, question the legitimacy of the federal government online consultation around prostitution in Canada.
“The online consultation allowed for people to complete the form multiple times. The numbers could easily be skewed to support the Conservative government’s agenda to introduce legislation that would criminalize sex work.” – Jean McDonald, Executive Director, Maggie’s – Toronto Sex Workers’ Action Project.
Sex workers were not consulted in meaningful ways. Vanessa D’Allesio, current sex worker and member of Maggie’s Board of Directors adds, “I wouldn’t be asked to comment on employment standards in the fishing industry, so it begs the question as to why non-sex workers are considered the best source of information to inform legislation on the sex industry.” “Asking the average citizen to comment on a highly stigmatized and misunderstood industry does not reflect the opinions or needs of the people directly affected by these laws – sex workers,” adds Jeff Kingsley, current sex worker in Toronto.
The consultation questions were biased. “They lead people to want to criminalize clients or third parties, without an understanding of the impact of these types of laws on sex workers,” says Hope Bloomington, current sex worker in Toronto. Emily van der Meulen, Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology at Ryerson University adds, “Laws should not be built on public opinion or moral arguments. Laws should be based on evidence, which is what the court considered when making its judgement in favour of decriminalization.” The Supreme Court of Canada was clear that the laws criminalizing consensual sex work activities increased harm and vulnerability. New laws will simply re-create this situation and will surely be deemed unconstitutional by future courts.
Decriminalization is the only system that will protect sex workers, by ensuring access to labour, legal and human rights.
Maggie’s – Toronto Sex Workers’ Action Project is an organization run for and by sex workers. Our mission is to assist sex workers in our efforts to live and work with safety and dignity. We are founded on the belief that in order to improve our circumstances, sex workers must control our own lives and destinies.
“Our mission is to assist sex workers in our efforts to live and work with safety and dignity. We are founded on the belief that in order to improve our circumstances, sex workers must control our own lives and destinies.”………says ‘Maggies’.
SAFETY AND DIGNITY? Get real!
What a smooth sounding, lofty description of the most galling, degrading, putrid abuse of the bodies of vulnerable girls and women.
I’ve known a few women, whose mothers offered them up as little children, for a few lousy bucks, so mother or father could feed a drug habit, but other than dysfunctional parents, what loving parent holds a little girl, or boy in their arms and says, “Honey, I can hardly wait till you grow up, so that your little body can become the means for filthy men to crawl all over you to satisfy their sexual cravings.”
Get real Mike Archer, or anyone who thinks the Conservatives are wrong on this one. Prostitution is a horrific abuse, regardless of how fine the trappings in which it goes on. It is never safe, not ever!!
Prostitutes MOST OFTEN are people who have been sexually wounded early in their lives, ….. helpless children who can’t sort out what happened to them. They suffer mental anguish. They think they are worthless. They turn to drugs, and they become victims all over again.
We will never stop prostitution, but we should do everything in our power to help people get out of this hell-hole. And we should make using prostitutes a serious crime……..because it is.
Hey Gerda. Thanks for your comment. Two points:
1) This is a news story submitted by an organization representing prostitutes not an opinion piece by Mike Archer. Why you would blame me for their beliefs I am not sure.
2) This is a news story submitted by an organization representing prostitutes who disagree wholeheartedly with you and are afraid this legislation will keep them buried right in this hell-hole.
You’re right to rap me on the knuckles, Mike. It is not an article written by you.
You’re wrong on your second point. The hell-hole is prostitution. No minor tweaking, nor major tweaking alters that. No one on earth should be just a piece of meat to satisfy the lust of amoral men.
God has made men and women for each other, within the love and commitment of marriage.
Sorry about the first offence, though.
No problem. Knuckles are easy to repair 🙂
As for the second point, again, the prostitutes are arguing that the law the Conservatives are proposing endangers them as much as the previous legislation. Again – their words, not mine.