Prostitution Appeal to Be Heard Monday
Posted By: Newstalk 1010 · 6/12/2011 3:17:00 PM
Beginning Monday here in Toronto an appeal is set to be heard of an Ontario judge's ruling striking down three key anti-prostitution laws.
The judge in the original case ruled that the laws against keeping a common bawdy house, communicating for the purposes of prostitution and living on the avails of the trade were contributing to the danger faced by prostitutes.
Both the federal and provincal governments are appealing last year's ruling.
The sex-trade workers say the laws violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by forcing prostitutes to choose between their liberty and their security. They say the laws prevent them from working indoors where it's safer, taking time to talk to a potential client to assess the risk they pose and hiring bodyguards.
Supporting their argument are the B.C. and Canadian civil liberties associations, a coalition of HIV/AIDS groups and several groups representing sex-trade workers.
``Even assuming that prostitution is inherently harmful, as the (governments) allege, this does not change the fact that the risks of physical violence against persons engaged in prostitution are increased by the impugned provisions,'' the Canadian Civil liberties Association argues in court filings.
http://www.newstalk1010.com/News/localnews/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10248459
Posted By: Newstalk 1010 · 6/12/2011 3:17:00 PM
Beginning Monday here in Toronto an appeal is set to be heard of an Ontario judge's ruling striking down three key anti-prostitution laws.
The judge in the original case ruled that the laws against keeping a common bawdy house, communicating for the purposes of prostitution and living on the avails of the trade were contributing to the danger faced by prostitutes.
Both the federal and provincal governments are appealing last year's ruling.
The sex-trade workers say the laws violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by forcing prostitutes to choose between their liberty and their security. They say the laws prevent them from working indoors where it's safer, taking time to talk to a potential client to assess the risk they pose and hiring bodyguards.
Supporting their argument are the B.C. and Canadian civil liberties associations, a coalition of HIV/AIDS groups and several groups representing sex-trade workers.
``Even assuming that prostitution is inherently harmful, as the (governments) allege, this does not change the fact that the risks of physical violence against persons engaged in prostitution are increased by the impugned provisions,'' the Canadian Civil liberties Association argues in court filings.
http://www.newstalk1010.com/News/localnews/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10248459