Photograph by Tup Wanders
Canada’s Supreme Court has struck down the country’s anti-prostitution laws after finding that they violate a person’s guarantee to life, liberty, and security.
The court voted 9-0 in favour of abolishing laws that criminalised some activities of prostitutes, with Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin delivering the unanimous ruling. This decision will strike three separate laws from the books in about 12 months time, leaving Canadian law-makers sufficient time to generate new legislation.
Brothels will now become legal in Canada, with the law struck down after a lawyer representing three prostitutes made the case that laws banning brothels forced prostitutes to work on the streets and put their own safety in jeopardy. Now prostitutes can work out of their own home or in a brothel with other sex workers.
Whilst the act of prostitution was never criminalised in Canada, it was illegal to make a living from the world’s oldest profession. As this law has now been rejected by the courts, allowing prostitutes to now hire drivers or bodyguards if they feel the need.
Prostitutes will also now be able to solicit customers on the street in the third change to the laws.
