Decriminalize Prostitution
At a Las Vegas town hall meeting, Bernie Sanders was asked to give his position on sex work vs. trafficking. He was unable to define his position. This is an important question during the run-up to the elections in Canada and the United States.
Trafficking is not unique to the sex industry. Under the Criminal Code, trafficking involves recruiting, transporting, transferring, receiving, holding, concealing or harbouring a person, or exercising control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation. Trafficking in persons can take many forms including sexual exploitation and forced labour. It is prevalent in the acquisition and retention of nannies, farm workers, and other forms of forced labour.
Those involved in consensual sex work, between persons of legal age, are not participating in trafficking or being trafficked. They are engaged in the selling of a service. The seller sets the rules and conditions for the consumer to acquire the service. This is no different than the conditions related to the sale of services provided by an accountant, a lawyer, or a real estate agent.
It is time that prostitution was decriminalized and that the New South Wales, Australia, model was adopted. NSW legalized prostitution in 1995 with brothels coming under local council planning regulations. Street prostitution is allowed on commercial streets but prohibited in residential zones. There are no laws against the purchase of sexual services. These laws allow for the focus to be directed on trafficking.
Maybe all of our candidates should be asked this question. Their responses should tell a great deal about their value systems.
Trafficking is not unique to the sex industry. Under the Criminal Code, trafficking involves recruiting, transporting, transferring, receiving, holding, concealing or harbouring a person, or exercising control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation. Trafficking in persons can take many forms including sexual exploitation and forced labour. It is prevalent in the acquisition and retention of nannies, farm workers, and other forms of forced labour.
Those involved in consensual sex work, between persons of legal age, are not participating in trafficking or being trafficked. They are engaged in the selling of a service. The seller sets the rules and conditions for the consumer to acquire the service. This is no different than the conditions related to the sale of services provided by an accountant, a lawyer, or a real estate agent.
It is time that prostitution was decriminalized and that the New South Wales, Australia, model was adopted. NSW legalized prostitution in 1995 with brothels coming under local council planning regulations. Street prostitution is allowed on commercial streets but prohibited in residential zones. There are no laws against the purchase of sexual services. These laws allow for the focus to be directed on trafficking.
Maybe all of our candidates should be asked this question. Their responses should tell a great deal about their value systems.
5 年 前
