Canada’s current legislative framework for sex work is an end-demand model called “partial decriminalization”, or the Nordic Model. Partial decriminalization purports to end the demand for sex work by criminalizing the buyer of sexual services while leaving the seller...
On Monday May 15, 2023, SWAN Vancouver spoke to the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women for its study on human trafficking. Executive Director Angela made the following presentation:Download a PDF of SWAN's brief here >Summary"Most...
How can an anti-trafficking campaign cause harm? While often well-intended, anti-trafficking campaigns carry a host of problems: They contribute to an unfounded moral panic in society They utilize sensational narratives and inflated, debunked statistics They...
Bedford v. Canada was a case challenging the constitutionality of Canada’s prostitution laws. The initial challenge began in 2007 and the final judgment from the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) came down in 2013. Applicants: Terri Jean Bedford, Amy Lebovitch, and...
Impact on Migrant Sex Workers: Migrant sex workers experience multi-layered criminalization. Even if sex work was decriminalized in Canada, migrant sex workers would still be criminalized
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) prohibition on sex work violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, specifically Sections 7 and 15.