Canada's Supremes overturn all anti prostitution laws

[Stinky The Clown]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/12/20/canada-anti-prostitution/4142685/

Prostitution has actually been legal in Canada, but activities associated with it have been crimes. For example, operating a bordello or relying on the income from prostitution as one's sole livelihood were illegal.

Finally, sex workers can look forward to safer working conditions and safer conduct of their business.

Editorial comment: Sex work, when engaged in freely and undertaken as a choice, is as honorable as any other profession. Canada's Supreme's ruling clears the way for the law to work to protect sex workers and reduce or eliminate exploitation.

[LittleBlue]

1. Great decision. Well done, Canada

Consenting adults should be free to do as they please.

[In_The_Wind]

5. + 1

I could not have said that better myself.

[Warren DeMontague]

20. You said "Consenting Adults"

[NaturalHigh]

26. Yeah that's a rage trigger for some reason.

I'll never understand how those two words can set off such a shitstorm.

[neverforget]

2. oh boy

[Warren DeMontague]

7. Scooooooooooooot on over

[neverforget]

12. Lol!

Awesome graphics

[Stinky The Clown]

16. All that salt!

Watch your BP there, pallie.

[Warren DeMontague]

17. No doubt.

[Blanket Statements]

3. Rob Ford will be having a party, I'm sure

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Rob Ford is a disgusting, loutish asshole.

[antiquie]

6. Canada scores again.

Satin sheets to keep 'em off of the streets...


"Satin Sheets" was written by Volinkaty, John Edward.

[politichew]

8. One small step for the end of worldwide puritan rule, one giant leap for freedom in Canada. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

9. I never even knew they were Canadian.

[bvar22]

11. OK. Now THATS funny, I don't care WHO you are.

[mac56]

15. "STOP! In the name of love, eh.."

[TeamPooka]

21. lmao that was funny.

[bvar22]

10. A step in the right direction.

NOW,
If only the US would follow suit,
and THEN get rid of the archaic Drug Laws too.

That would save BILLIONS, and open up space and court time for more pressing needs.

[Logical]

13. The USA will never do this. It is a SIN, etc. Religious idiots. n-t

[LadyHawkAZ]

14. Awesome! n/t

[ismnotwasm]

18. Another view

Press release: Indigenous Women Against the Sex Industry Continue to Fight for the Abolition of Prostitution

As Indigenous women and girls who have experienced centuries of colonial male violence, the decision by The Supreme Court of Canada to strike down the existing prostitution laws comes as no surprise. Our histories, our laws and traditions, and our worldviews have been purposefully omitted from the Supreme Court decision. Once again, not only our voices, but our bodies and our lives have been dismissed as inconsequential. As women and girls indigenous to this land, who have resisted centuries of colonial oppression, we assert our right to our lands, cultures, laws, and body sovereignty. We reject any ruling that interferes with these unalienable rights. We pledge to continue in the proud tradition of our Mothers and Grandmothers and to continue to fight for our children and grandchildren.We are in a pivotal moment. We have the ability – and the responsibility – to change the course of history. We urge all those who seek justice, freedom, and equality to look beyond the decision rendered by the Supreme Court and to listen to the voices, experiences, and wisdom of Indigenous women and girls. Prostitution was not and is not a traditional practice among Indigenous peoples. We ask all those who seek justice, freedom, and equality to view prostitution as a colonial system and as a form of violence against women and girls that must be abolished.
We see an opportunity for all of us to work toward a better future – a future in which our daughters are not handed over to pimps and johns to be violated, abused, and thrown away. We see hope in the supreme court’s decision to decriminalize prostituted women and girls. The next step is to stand up for the rights of Indigenous women and girls by criminalizing the source of the harm in prostitution – the pimps and the johns. This would be a truly progressive act in the interest of women’s equality.

In addition to laws that criminalize the pimps and the johns, we also demand funding for social policies and programs that prevent women and girls from entering prostitution in the first place, and that help us as we exit and heal. This includes, but is not limited to, safe and affordable housing, guaranteed livable income, counseling, job training, and women-only detox and recovery services. We also demand the government educate itself and the public about prostitution as a form of colonial male sexual violence against women and girls.

We ask the public and policy makers to stand in solidarity with us and to adopt the Nordic Model of prostitution policy. Do not be “tricked” into supporting the decriminalization of pimps and johns as progressive legal and social policy. We are Indigenous women and girls who have survived hundreds of years of colonialism, male violence, and capitalism, and we are not going away. We are proud to be part of a global feminist abolitionist movement, and we ask you to join us in our fight for freedom.

http://feministcurrent.com/8436/press-release-indigenous-women-against-the-sex-industry-continue-to-fight-for-the-abolition-of-prostitution/

[NaturalHigh]

19. Thumbs up to Canada!

Maybe the people up north don't consider what happens in private among consenting adults to be a matter for the authorities.

Would that work down here?

[Warren DeMontague]

23. Catherie MacKinnon could not be reached for comment

I suspect.

[NaturalHigh]

24. No, but I suspect I know how she would react.

She's a devoted follower of the failed philosophy of Dworkinism, if I recall correctly.

[Warren DeMontague]

25. I hear iceland is nice

[etherealtruth]

22. the big thing in my mind is ....

Protecting sex workers

[NaturalHigh]

27. I read this comment on another site...

and was disappointed that I hadn't read it here first. It breaks it all down for everybody.

Regardless of the issues around the torrents of disgusting bodily fluids and human forms sweatily flopping around on each other, in a sickening ritual that doesn't do anything to thwart inevitable cold, sweet death: what should this market's regulation look like?

[Warren DeMontague]

28. Canada's legal system is interesting, at least from what I can tell.

Seems to be organized on different principles than the US, with the Constitution and its interpretation by the Judiciary.

I'm not a legal expert, but that's my initial read on these cases.