The EFC is part of a national initiative that today launched a billboard campaign (www.buyingsexisacrime.ca). See a related July interview with the EFC's Julia Beazley in which she explains some of the motivation for the campaign.
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 exploitative, 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.
SPONSORS/SUPPORTERS OF THIS BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN INCLUDE
- Beacon of Hope/Cambridge
- BridgeNorth Women's Mentorship & Advocacy Services
- Defend Dignity
- formerly Exploited Voices Now Educating
- Freedom Catalyst
- Joy Smith Foundation
- Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre Inc.
- Next Step Ministries
- Rahab Ministries
- Resist Exploitation Embrace Dignity
- Rising Angels
- Salvation Army Correctional Services Saskatoon/John School
- The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking
- The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
- u-r home
See a complete list with details about each sponsor
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Vancouver
- Trisha Baptie trisha@educating-voices.com (Exploited Voices Now Educating)
- Mary-Lee Bouma mary-lee@embracedignity.org (Resist Exploitation Embrace Dignity)
Edmonton
- Sue Holtby jsholtby@telus.net (Defend Dignity)
Calgary
- Cliff Wiebe cliff@nextstepministries.ca (Next Step Ministries)
- Katelynn Robertson kately.nn@hotmail.com (Defend Dignity)
Saskatoon
- Albert Brown albert.brown@salvationarmysaskatoon.org (Salvation Army John School)
- Tyrone McKenzie ty.mckenzie@lawsonheightsalliance.com (Defend Dignity)
Regina
- Arlene Stinson arlene.stinson@cmacan.org (Freedom Catalyst)
- Julia Ellergodt julia@prairiewindowfashions.ca (Defend Dignity)
Winnipeg
- Diane Redsky dredsky@mamawi.com (Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre)
- Joy Smith info@joysmithfoundation.com (Joy Smith Foundation)
Cambridge
- Laura Ross lauraross35@gmail.com (Beacon of Hope)
Brampton
- Katarina MacLeod info@risingangels.net (Rising Angels)
Newmarket
- Casandra Diamond casandra@bridgenorth.org (BridgeNorth Women’s Mentoring and Advocacy Services)
- Debbie Pond debbieafrica@gmail.com (u-r home)
Toronto
- Glendyne Gerrard glendyne.gerrard@cmacan.org (Defend Dignity)
- Casandra Diamond Casandra@bridgenorth.org (BridgeNorth Women’s Mentoring and Advocacy Services)
Ottawa
- Glendyne Gerrard glendyne.gerrard@cmacan.org
- Julia Beazley beazleyj@TheEFC.ca
Montreal
- Glendyne Gerrard glendyne.gerrard@cmacan.org (Defend Dignity)
Moncton
- Glendyne Gerrard glendyne.gerrard@cmacan.org (Defend Dignity)
- Debbie Pond debbieafrica@gmail.com (u-r home)