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BUYING SEX IS A CRIME BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN

TORONTO — (CANADIAN CHRISTIAN NEWS SERVICE) — The Buying Sex is a Crime campaign is supported by a wide cross-section of groups from across the country that are united in our desire to see an end to sexual exploitation in Canada.

Buying sex, or attempting to buy sex, is illegal in Canada.

In 2014, Canada passed the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, which declared that the purchase or attempted purchase of sex was illegal – wherever, and whenever it occurs. This shift is significant, because the demand for paid sex is what funnels women into prostitution and fuels sex trafficking.

The preamble of the bill recognized that prostitution is inherently dangerous and exploitive, that objectification of the human body and commodification of sexuality causes social harm, and that prostitution violates human dignity and equality between the sexes. It also recognizes coercive elements like poverty, addiction, colonization, mental illness and racialization as a few key contributing factors to individuals entering prostitution or being vulnerable to exploitation.

Ending exploitation means turning the focus away from those who are prostituted and exploited and onto the demand for paid sex, which is the root cause of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

This approach has been proven effective in countries such as Norway, Sweden and Iceland, and has been adopted in recent years by several other countries.

It is critical that the federal government maintain and encourage enforcement of the current laws in order to ensure that Canada has a real chance of being a global leader in ending this type of exploitation.

Our federal government has stated its commitment to working towards gender equality in Parliament and in the day to day reality of average Canadians. They have committed to addressing violence against women and girls.

Upholding the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act is a vital step toward achieving that equality and creating real safety for all peoples.

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MEDIA INQUIRIES

Vancouver
Trisha Baptie, Exploited Voices Now Educating
trisha@educating-voices.com

Mary-Lee Bouma, Resist Exploitation Embrace Dignity
mary-lee@embracedignity.org

Edmonton
Sue Holtby, Defend Dignity
jsholtby@telus.net

Calgary
Cliff Wiebe, Next Step Ministries
cliff@nextstepministries.ca

Katelynn Robertson, Defend Dignity
kately.nn@hotmail.com

Saskatoon
Albert Brown, Salvation Army John School
albert.brown@salvationarmysaskatoon.org

Tyrone McKenzie, Defend Dignity
ty.mckenzie@lawsonheightsalliance.com

Regina
Arlene Stinson, Freedom Catalyst
arlene.stinson@cmacan.org

Julia Ellergodt, Defend Dignity
julia@prairiewindowfashions.ca

Winnipeg
Diane Redsky, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre
dredsky@mamawi.com

Joy Smith, Joy Smith Foundation
info@joysmithfoundation.com

Cambridge
Laura Ross, Beacon of Hope
lauraross35@gmail.com

Brampton
Katarina MacLeod, Rising Angels
info@risingangels.net

Newmarket
Casandra Diamond,
BridgeNorth Women’s Mentoring and Advocacy Services
casandra@bridgenorth.org

Debbie Pond, u-r home
debbieafrica@gmail.com

Toronto
Glendyne Gerrard, Defend Dignity
glendyne.gerrard@cmacan.org

Casandra Diamond,
BridgeNorth Women’s Mentoring and Advocacy Services
casandra@bridgenorth.org

Montreal
Glendyne Gerrard, Defend Dignity
glendyne.gerrard@cmacan.org

Moncton
Glendyne Gerrard, Defend Dignity
glendyne.gerrard@cmacan.org

Debbie Pond, u-r home
debbieafrica@gmail.com