[SWAF-Potluck] NEWS: Canada's Blood Donation Ban for Selling Sexual Services

[Andy Sorfleet]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 27, 2022

"Sex, Scandal and Scapegoats: Canada's Blood Donation Ban for Selling
Sexual Services"

Triple-X Submission to Health Canada regarding the Application by Canadian
Blood Services for a one-year donation deferral for people selling sexual
services

In Canada currently, if you have "traded sex for money or drugs since
1977," there is a lifetime ban from donating blood. On May 27, 2022,
Canadian Blood Services announced that the indefinite deferral on blood
donations for trading sex for money would be reduced to one year pending
approval from Health Canada.

Triple-X has submitted a brief to officials at Health Canada in support of
removing the lifetime ban for sex workers. In the submission, Triple-X
calls for the removal of all questions regarding sexual services
transactions. "Sexual activity, not commercial activity, contributes to
increased risk of sexually transmitted blood-borne infection (STBBI).
Questions need to focus on sexual acts only."

Triple-X also asks that Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada
endorse and advocate for the decriminalization of the purchase of sexual
services (Criminal Code Section 286.1). "Occupational health and safety,
and sex workers' role in the safe sex education of their clients, are
important avenues to promote STBBI prevention."

Triple-X's submission to Health Canada includes a Special Edition
full-colour insert featuring sex worker safe sex education in Canada from
1985 to 1995 to commemorate the 24th International AIDS Conference
Montreal, 29 July - 2 August 2022. Triple-X is also distributing a
commemorative enamel pin as part of their education campaign about Canadian
blood donation policies for sex workers.

You can read the submission to Health Canada, Sex, Scandal and Scapegoats:
Canada's Blood Donation Ban for Selling Sexual Services, at:
https://triple-x.org/pdf/BloodBanBrief-screen.pdf

-30 -

Triple-X Press Release, July 27, 2022:
https://triple-x.org/about/pr/pr-220727.pdf

Connect on social media:
Twitter.com/xxxworkers  |  Instagram.com/triplexworkers  |
 Facebook.com/triplexworkers

Media inquiries: Andy Sorfleet
a.sorfleet at gmail.com
604-488-0710
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