In March 2020, the Ontario government announced a $307 million investment into a five-year anti-trafficking strategy. On February 22, 2021, Bill 251, Combating Human Trafficking Act, 2021 was introduced by Solicitor General Sylvia Jones in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The stated purpose of the Act is to combat human trafficking and provide support for […]
Publication Topics Archives: Sex work
SEX WORKER HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS LAUNCH CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE
SEX WORKER HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS LAUNCH CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 30, 2021 – The Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform — an alliance of 25 sex worker rights groups across the country led predominantly by and for sex workers — along with several individual applicants, have filed a […]
Written submission for consideration by the Independent Civilian Review into Missing Person Investigations
This written submission complements comments made previously during our participation in two community consultation sessions. In it, we wish to expand upon our overarching submission that the unjustified criminalization of specific populations, and the role of police in enforcing such criminalization, have understandably impeded, and will continue to impede, relationships of trust and cooperation between those communities and police. In […]
Posted in Advocacy, Discrimination, English, HIV Criminalization, Our Work, Sex work, Uncategorized
Tagged drug policy, hiv criminalization, sex work
Publication Topics: Discrimination, Drug policy, HIV Criminalization, Sex work
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Open letter to Minister of Justice: stop enforcing sex work laws immediately
July 23, 2020 The Hon. David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Dear Minister Lametti: In 2014, the federal government passed the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (S.C. 2014, c. 25), criminalizing all facets of sex work, including selling sex in a public space, purchasing sex in all spaces, all material benefits from […]
Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants on the Rights to Freedom of Association of Migrants
We make this submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Mr. Felipe González Morales, to describe laws and policies that inhibit migrant sex workers and other marginalized communities from enjoying their right to freedom of association, as well as concrete steps that States, international organizations and the UN can take […]
Posted in Advocacy, English, Our Work, Sex work, Women’s Rights
Tagged sex work, women's rights
Publication Topics: Sex work, Women's rights
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Submission to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women
In advance of the adoption of the List of Issues Prior to Reporting for Canada’s periodic review under the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (“CEDAW Convention”), to be held during the 76th Pre-Sessional Working Group (11 – 15 November, 2019), the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (“HIV Legal Network”) […]
Posted in Drug policy, English, Our Work, Pub Document Type, Publications, Reports, Sex work, Women’s Rights
Tagged drug policy, sex work, women's rights
Publication Topics: Drug policy, Sex work, Women's rights
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Brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health: LGBTQ2S+ HEALTH IN CANADA
The Legal Network has submitted this brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health, addressing HIV criminalization, criminalization of sex work, and criminalization of drug possession for personal use.
Posted in Briefing Papers, Drug policy, English, French, HIV Criminalization, Our Work, Sex work
Tagged drug policy, hiv criminalization, sex work
Publication Topics: Drug policy, HIV Criminalization, Sex work
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The Perils of “Protection”: Summary reports
Criminal law has perpetually trapped sex workers within dualities of criminality and victimization. Whereas the previous criminal offences concerning sex work framed sex workers in terms of nuisance and criminality, the passage of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA) in 2014 legally enshrined sex workers as victims, invalidating the labour of sex […]
Posted in Chinese, English, French, Indigenous Communities, Our Work, Publications, Reports, Sex work, Women’s Rights
Tagged sex work, women's rights
Publication Topics: Indigenous Communities, Sex work, Women's rights
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The Perils of “Protection”: Sex Workers’ Experiences of Law Enforcement in Ontario
Criminal law has perpetually trapped sex workers within dualities of criminality and victimization. Whereas the previous criminal offences concerning sex work framed sex workers in terms of nuisance and criminality, the passage of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA) in 2014 legally enshrined sex workers as victims, invalidating the labour of sex […]
Posted in English, French, Immigration and travel, Indigenous Communities, Our Work, Publications, Reports, Sex work, Women’s Rights
Tagged sex work, women's rights
Publication Topics: Immigration and travel, Indigenous Communities, Sex work, Women's rights
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Legal Network Submission to Human Trafficking Consultation
“Re: City of Toronto’s consultation on human trafficking The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (“Legal Network”) promotes the human rights of people living with, at risk of or affected by HIV or AIDS, in Canada and internationally, through research and analysis, litigation and other advocacy, public education and community mobilization. We are also a member of […]
Posted in Advocacy, English, Our Work, Pub Document Type, Sex work
Tagged human rights, sex work, women's rights
Publication Topics: Sex work, Women's rights
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