[SWAF-Potluck] Recent events regarding sex work law enforcement...

[Andy Sorfleet]

Hello Potluckers. :^)

I thought I would write a quick update on recent events regarding sex work
law enforcement. There have been many clippings so I have not inundated you
here with those.

Two weeks ago, (January 22-23) 26 police services  in more than 30 cities
and towns across Canada were involved in what was called: Operation
Northern Spotlight -- dubbed as a "two-day police blitz aimed at cracking
down on sex slavery."

Police departments from Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta; Regina and
Saskatoon in Saskatchewan; Winnipeg; Gatineau, Que.; Halifax; Saint John,
N.B.; St. John's, N.L.; and 17 communities in Ontario visited or raided sex
worker establishments to determine how many sex workers were under

In many of the cities however, sex workers were invited to a hotel room
where police offered them resources for exiting the sex trade.

In Peel and Durham region police interviewed 53 women between 16 and 45
years old. Fourteen of the women were believed to be "under some level of
control" -- "forced into the sex industry though threats, intimidation and
drug dependency, and some are as young as 15, police said after the two-day
operation."

>From Toronto Star, January 28:

"Many of the women appear to be making their own decisions to participate
for financial gain," Peel police said, but added, "Part or all of the
proceeds from the sexual encounters were kept by their adult male
controller or pimp."

Nine men were arrested and face 83 charges related to Human Trafficking,
firearm offences, drug possession and child pornography.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

On February 1, Justice Minister Peter MacKay announced in Halifax the
government will introduce its new prostitution legislation well ahead of a
December deadline.

At this announcement, MacKay also stated: "The attorney general and justice
minister, federally, doesn't tell police forces or territorial AG's to lay
charges, but our expectation, and I think the public expectation more
importantly, Canadians', is that they will be protected by these services."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Earlier this week, several provinces say they will not be prosecuting
prostitution-related offences that were struck down as unconstitutional by
Canada's highest court, and in some cases existing charges are being thrown
out.

In Ontario, a Ministry of the Attorney General spokesman said that: "if
there are no "alternate prostitution-related charges appropriate to the
facts of the case," Ontario will likely not prosecute under the impugned
laws.

Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador have sent
varying signals or directives to their Crown attorneys in the wake of the
Supreme Court of Canada last December.

Februarly 3, in Alberta, defence lawyers urged justice officials to stay
charges currently before the courts. Alberta Justice and Solicitor General
said there are 400 charges that are affected by the Supreme Court's
landmark ruling last December.

February 4,  Edmonton police vice unit Det. Steven Horchuk said police are
no longer laying charges for communicating for the purpose of prostitution,
since the charges won't be prosecuted by the Crown.

Horchuk said Monday police will continue to focus on the "consumer side" of
prostitution, in particular cases involving exploitive circumstances. In
some cases, he said, charges may be laid under the Traffic Safety Act or
other provisions of the Criminal Code to deal with prostitution-related
activity.

Today (February 8), British Columbia has become the latest province to
announce it will not prosecute most prostitution-related offences over last
year's ruling by Canada's highest court that the laws are unconstitutional.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

I think it is very important to note that no police service in British
Columbia took part in the nation-wide blitz targeting "sex slavery."

If you are interested in more press or information, please don't hesitate
to email me.

In solidarity,
Andy
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