Legalizing Prostitution In Canada

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The legalisation or decriminalisation of prostitution has caused much controversy and debate throughout history, and is still today, a commonly discussed phenomenon that causes deliberation between opposing political and social parties. Here in Canada, Prostitution is defined as “the practice of exchanging sexual services for money or for other needs such as food and shelter” (Shaver, 2011). Although, in Canada, prostitution has never been a crime, the act’s surrounding prostitution, such as communicating, and other activities relating to the exchange, have been prohibited. Even though many people, including political and social groups, including feminists believe that sex work is a form of violence against women, there are many benefits produced …show more content…

As a result, every time a transaction takes place, the purchaser, is committing an offense. Advertising sex work is another criminalized offense associated with prostitution. This offense applies to individuals who advertise sexual services through media, websites, and other locations such as massage parlours and strip clubs. This act allows the court to seize any material containing advertisements of sexual services. Material benefit is another offense that prohibits “receiving money, or other material benefit from the prostitution of others in exploitative circumstance, including… commercial enterprise that offers sexual services for sale” (Prostitution Criminal Law Reform: Bill C-36, 2014). Therefore, it is illegal to earn money by owning, managing or working for a commercial enterprise, including massage parlors, escort agencies, or strip clubs. Another offense associated with prostitution that is prohibited is procuring a person to provide or offer sexual services. Procuring occurs when a person causes or induces another person to sell sexual services. Finally, it is illegal to communicate, especially in public places, for the purpose of offering, or providing sexual services (Prostitution Criminal Law Reform: Bill C-36, …show more content…

Although many may oppose, there are many benefits sex workers can thrive off, in order to help them survive in today’s society. One of the central arguments for the legalization of prostitution is that through state regulation, prostitution minimizes the health and safety ricks of both prostitutes and their clients. According to the Encyclopedia of Women in Today’s World, by participating in a paid sexual encounter with a nonmonogamous partner, prostitutes and their clients are putting their health and safety at risk (Dewey, 2011). Such risks include sexually transmitted infections that cannot be avoided with the use of condoms, specifically, HIV/AIDS. Although condoms are encouraged, prostitutes and their clients may be restricted by control of a third party including pimp. As a result, prostitutes are more likely to contract sexually transmitted infections when they are controlled by a pimp or other third party. Prostitutes who contract sexually transmitted infections then in turn spread it to their clients, and consequently, to the general population (Dewey, 2011). Consequently, if prostitution was legal, workers could get tested regularly, and would be entitled to practice safer sex. For instance, an article by CNN, reports that sex workers in Nevada, who work in licensed brothels must follow certain rules, including testing to prevent sexually

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