Moral Autonomy In Canada

Moral and personal autonomy work as polar opposites. On one hand, moral autonomy relies on the moral obligations a person enforces based on the moral laws they follow. Personal autonomy refers back to a person’s development through their emotions, beliefs, values, and past experiences, which helps structure their aspects of life that are not limited to moral obligations. In the case of Bedford v. Canada, three women; Bedford, Lebovitch, and Scott, argued that the laws regarding prostitution were unlawful and that there needed to be adjustments made. Under Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, prostitution is treated “as a form of sexual exploitation that disproportionately impacts women and girls” (Department of Justice Canada 2014, pg.1).

This bill “seeks to protect the dignity and equality of all Canadians by denouncing and prohibiting the purchase of sexual services, the exploitation of the prostitution of other, the development of economic interests in the sexual exploitation of others and the institutionalization of prostitution through commercial enterprises, such as strip clubs, massage parlours, and escort agencies that offer sexual services for sale. It also seeks to encourage victims to report incidents of violence to the police and to leave prostitution” (Department of Justice Canada, 2014, pg. 1).

On the other hand, through a personal autonomous lens, that individuals can do as they please based on their beliefs and values. Looking at prostitution laws, individuals who practice personal autonomy would govern themselves, and set the rights that they feel expresses their sovereignty over others. Practicing or purchasing prostitution is merely based under the authority of citizens to the extent in which they feel that their freedom is being