Hi all! It has been a while since I have been able to get out some of my thoughts. It has been such a long time because I’ve had an unprecedented amount of work to do in the hospital, but alas, I have a little block of time off so I’m going to indulge in venting about a topic I feel does not get talked about enough in the daily life of anyone in the beautiful country of Canada.
For the last four years a couple has been fighting a case in which they found themselves when cops raided their business and charged them with offenses of advertising sexual services, making money from the sex trade, and procuring for the sex trade. Today, four years later, they were found innocent based on the judge’s finding of the prostitution laws set in place to be unconstitutional.
I care about protecting sex workers and allowing them to make a living in the way they need to or want to. If a person wants to use their body to make money, who am I, or a group of lawmakers, to stop them. The root of the problem is set in the stigma created by society to antagonize people for doing something that in itself is not bad. My personal stance is that if someone is able to show off their body or engage in sexual interactions for money, what is the harm in it? However many have added their personal beliefs and core values that extend from religion and other passed down ethical codes to the discussion around it, vilifying the people who engage in it because a book or some old man that is seen as pure has basically said to do.
It’s likely that someone would like to make the argument that sex work might lead to sex trafficking or an unsafe/exploitive environment for the worker. I agree that there are scenarios in which people who engage in sex work might find themselves getting hurt or exploited, but that is because the people have to do it without protective legislation or they are being controlled against their will. Unsafe sex work and prostitution are not things I agree with, but if someone wants to run a business where they professionally help a client meet an escort who does a sexual act as a job or service for payment in a safe, protected manner, nothing should stand in their way. In my opinion sex work industry workers should be entitled to do with their bodies what they please as long as it is done under safe practice.
As for the couple that was charged with crimes for their escort business, it seems at surface level as though they did conduct their business in a safe manner. If they truly had an actual business that was not sketchy and organized, then I don’t see why the ruling of the judge is wrong. There’s not much on the actual proceedings of their business, but in the end they weren’t guilty so if our justice system works, then it is nice to see some people trying to run a business be freed of the burden of prosecution and criminal charges that would have followed them for the rest of their lives.
I used this example to bring to light how I felt about the subject because I feel as though not many people are fine with talking about the subject from a supporting or defensive standpoint and I try to be an ally for all that are deserving. Now I have to get back to my studies.
Until next time!
William Martin. 