Vancouver groups along with a few dozen other advocates across Canada wrote an open letter to Green Party, NDP and Liberal leaders asking for a firm commitment to repeal the act criminalizing sex work and develop “a model that is proven to protect sex workers.”
The Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act replicates many of the issues identified by the Supreme Court of Canada in the Canada versus Bedford case when it struck down as unconstitutional, which makes it difficult for sex workers to work indoors, communicate safely with clients, and safety enhancing relationships with coworkers, according to the letter.
The B.C. groups include Pivot Legal Society, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, and PACE Society, among others – of the total 33 signatories.
“All have recognized the overwhelming body of evidence demonstrating that criminalization of sex work not only harms sex workers, it also pushes trafficking further underground and makes it harder to detect,” the letter states. “Anti-trafficking measures and so-called rescue measures often expose sex workers to intrusive and damaging enforcement efforts, and make migrant workers vulnerable to deportation and harsh treatment from law enforcement.”