Feminists condemn the liberal government's choice to ignore the harms of prostitution

MONTREAL, June 23rd, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Equality seeking feminists and especially organizations working on the issue of sexual exploitation in all its forms in Canada are appalled that the liberal government is steadfastly choosing to ignore the harms of prostitution on women and girls in Canada. The Justice Committee was mandated to review the 2014 law that changed the Canadian approach to address the issue of prostitution by targeting the demand for prostitution and stop the criminalization of women in prostitution. The report tabled yesterday titled "PREVENTING HARM IN THE CANADIAN SEX INDUSTRY: A REVIEW OF THE PROTECTION OF COMMUNITIES AND EXPLOITED PERSONS ACT", expresses that the sex industry is an industry like any other and we should just be preoccupied by making sure every woman that is in that "industry" is there by choice. Our experience and the one of thousands and thousands of women here and around the world is that woman end up in prostitution by a lack of choice in their lives. Reducing the work of the state to preventing harm in such a narrow and blindfolded manner is dangerous for equality for all women.

Hilla Kerner, a member of Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter said "While the report aims to prevent the harm in the Canadian sex industry, it utterly fails to recognize the sex industry as inherently harmful, exploitive and a violent social phenomenon." Prostitution is at the crossroads of sexism, colonialism, racism and class oppressions. Ignoring these connections keep Indigenous, racialized and poor women at risk of being targeted by pimps and exploiters.

Jennifer Dunn, Executive Director of the London Abused Women's Centre said "We must continue to protect women and girls both in the sex industry and who are at risk of being sexually exploited.  To keep women and girls safe, the Government of Canada must put more effort into raising awareness of the issues and dangers in the sex industry.  To keep women and girls safe, we also require more funding, the Government of Canada must invest in organizations who meet women where they are at and are trauma informed."

Diane Matte, a co-founder of the Concertation des luttes contre l'exploitation sexuelle in Montreal, said "Canada is at a crossroad, both as a society and as a state, to look at prostitution for what it is, an inequality practice that needs to be challenged and offer more to women. Many international agreements, like the Palermo protocol on human trafficking to which Canada is a signatory, clearly state that countries must address the "demand side" to counter this crime."

While the report makes recommendations to reduce some of the harm done to women and girls in prostitution, it lacks the vision to end harm at its source. As a result, feminists and our allies are even more determined to work towards a world free of sexual exploitation, and to support and defend the rights of women who are in prostitution including those who want to exit prostitution. We ask that our governments, like the government of Quebec has done 16 years ago in its Equality policy, to recognize that prostitution is violence against women.

SOURCE Concertation des luttes contre l'exploitation sexuelle

Hilla Kerner - Vancouver Rape Relief and Women Shelter [phone]; Jennifer Dunn - London Abused Women's Centre [phone]; Diane Matte - Concertation des luttes contre l'exploitation [phone] or [phone]; Fay Blaney - Aboriginal Women Action Network [phone]; Trisha Baptie - EVE [phone]; Candice Pilgrim - Strength in Sisterhood [phone]