Former Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre Elliot Trudeau was quoted as saying, “There is no place for the State in the bedrooms of the nation.” It appears that some of our Canadian judges have taken that statement literally. We have become lawless in some ways: no law on abortion no law on what constitutes marriage and now, no law on prostitution.
This week, Justice Susan Himel, ruled that our prostitution laws were unconstitutional. She stated that our present laws forced prostitutes to “choose between their liberty interest and their right to security of the person.” She went further, stating that the Criminal Code “contributed” to the dangers faced by the sex trade workers in that they interfered with their Charter rights of security of the person and freedom of expression.
Amelia Gentleman, writing for the Guardian, asked, “Has paying for sex become more acceptable than ever?” It appears the answer is obvious. Yes! Sports stars do it. The corporate world does it, pouring millions into lap dancing clubs. Attitudes towards prostitution have clearly changed, and I am convinced that the easy accessibility to pornography has been key to that metamorphosis.
The sex industry has been mutating for years. It has survived the edicts of emperors, the rage of philosophy, and the moral constraints of religion. It has moved from underground to above ground. It has morphed from being tolerated because it protected chaste women from rape to being registered, regulated and celebrated as a viable career choice. Read the rest of this entry »
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