The blogs have been a buzz and congratulations have been rolling in for sex workers in Canada with news of the recent court decision in Ontario on Tuesday, September 28, 2010 that struck down three important laws governing prostitution in Canada. Sex workers around the world celebrate the reasoned statements of Judge Himel in her final arguments. Much work still needs to be done to secure the rights of sex workers in Canada but this judgement opens the door to carefully considered next steps.
Here we have attempted to round up information relating to this decision for our readers.
Link to a downloadable pdf document of the [www.cbc.ca] title="Court Decision Ontario">court decision.
Some news articles:Statements from sex work advocacy groups:
Sex Professionals of Canada is delighted by Justice Susan Himel’s decision to acknowledge our right to legally practice our chosen profession. This important victory gives us hope that sex work will one day be fully regarded as the legitimate occupation it is. Read More
US Sex Workers Celebrate Canadian Victory
Sex Workers Outreach Project-USA and other US groups join in celebration with Sex Professionals of Canada (SPOC) and all Canadian Sex Workers. Read More.
The Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) stands in solidarity with sex workers in Ontario, Canada, who have brought a successful court challenge to anti-sex work laws. Read More.
'As an organization by and for sex workers, Maggie’s: The Toronto Sex Workers Action Project soundly applauds today’s ruling of prostitution laws as a violation of sex workers Charter rights.' Read More
Border Thinking on Migration, Trafficking and Commercial Sex - ‘It is not important for scholars to present information that contradicts their own findings’: anti-prostitution witness in Ontario - Read More
Paulo Longo Research Institute - 'Here comes the judge ! : Justice Himel on Farley and Raymond' Read More
Paulo Longo Research Institute - 'Decriminalisation is the starting point : what next for Canada?' Read More.
Canada Pivot Legal Society - 'Katrina Pacey, a lawyer from Pivot Legal Society who recently challenged the B.C. sex work laws talks to Paul Ryan about what the new law change in Ontario will mean for B.C. and the rest of Canada.' Listen to Podcast UPDATE : Second court challenge in British Columbia will be allowed to proceed."A retired prostitute and a group representing sex workers in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside say a B.C. Appeal Court ruling that enables them to challenge Canada's anti-prostitution laws could one day lead to decriminalizing an unsafe job..." Read More.
Events in Canada and in other countries are a reflection of growing public support for more reality based approaches to sex work. The time for using punitive and moralistic laws to address sex work is losing popularity.Columbia: 'Colombia Court Recognises Sex Workers' Legal Status and Labour Rights' Read the article in Columbia Reports (Amparan derecho laboral de trabajadores sexuales)
South Africa: 'Court decision in favour of sex worker may result in state sanctioned prostitution' Read the article
International: A recent debate held on the economist.com resulted in an overwhelming majority in support of legalising prostitution. 'This house believes that prostitution should be legal'
Similarly, a survey carried out as part of yesterday’s BBC1 Sunday Morning Live discussion, featuring Catherine Stephens of the IUSW, Bel Mooney of the Daily Mail and Mehdi Hasan of the New Statesman showed overwhelming public support for accepting prostitution. “It’s time to accept prostitution” – say the British public.