Ontario Legalizes Brothels

**edgar_rhode** · March-26-12, 05:59 PM

mmm... maybe an increase in bridge and tunnel crossing costs will improve detroits budget situation. just sayin.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle2381372/

**canuck** · March-26-12, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by edgar_rhode

hmmm... maybe an increase in bridge and tunnel crossing costs will improve detroits budget situation. just sayin.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle2381372/

Tunnel crossings and brothels have alot in common imagewise edgar_rhode, nice shot!

**davewindsor** · March-26-12, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by edgar_rhode

hmmm... maybe an increase in bridge and tunnel crossing costs will improve detroits budget situation. just sayin.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle2381372/

Legalization? Not exactly. First, the article says, "The brothel ruling takes effect in a year."

A lot can happen in that time:

1) the Section 33 Notwithstanding Clause in the Canadian Constitution allows judicial rulings to be overruled by an Act of Federal Parliament for 5 year terms. And I don't think the Harper Government is in favour of legalization.

2) the Supreme Court of Canada can overrule an Ontario Appeal Court Decision.

**401don** · March-26-12, 08:52 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=5RnqTTNO3nI

**downtownguy** · March-26-12, 09:22 PM

"
Ms. Scott said that brothels have always existed in the shadows. “There is a brothel on every block in every city, and there always has been,” she said."

Who knew?

**Scottathew** · March-26-12, 09:50 PM

Prostitution - A victimless "crime" that happens between two [[or more) consenting adults.

Decriminalize it everywhere and let's fight some real crimes. Let consenting adults choose what to do with their own bodies. If you think it's sinful and bad, then don't do it.

**Wesley Mouch** · March-27-12, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by 48091

Prostitution - A victimless "crime" that happens between two [[or more) consenting adults.

Decriminalize it everywhere and let's fight some real crimes. Let consenting adults choose what to do with their own bodies. If you think it's sinful and bad, then don't do it.

Agreed.

And the ruling from what I've heard makes it clear that this does cover forced participation or abuse -- but only between consenting adults. How mature of Canada.

**SWMAP** · March-27-12, 12:04 PM

And in Amsterdam, history and policy going the other way:
"The 1012 Project, launched by Amsterdam city council three years ago and named after the Red Light district's postcode, aims to discourage various crimes by reducing the number of brothels and other businesses conducive to crimes, such as sex shops, peep shows, cannabis shops, massage parlors, gambling halls, and so on.
More than 100 brothels have been closed since 2008, midway toward the city council's goal of reducing its number by 40 percent. The council has also planned to close one third of current cannabis shops that are better known as "coffee shops" in Amsterdam.
"If we can make the prostitution zone smaller, we can better control it. Most closed brothels have been transformed into housing or studio functions," Gijs Goosen, a city official in charge of the project, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.
The Red Light district, while on the surface attracts millions of tourists from all over the world to the Netherlands' capital city every year, also fuels rapid growth of sex trafficking, forced prostitution, money laundering and other crimes, according to the city council.
The local government has been purchasing a number of buildings that have been used as brothels and converting them into fashion shops, galleries or housing. It has a long-term goal of reducing the criminal structure as well as attracting new investors and tourists to this neighborhood alongside pleasant canals and gabled houses."

**Gistok** · March-27-12, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

The Red Light district, while on the surface attracts millions of tourists from all over the world to the Netherlands' capital city every year, also fuels rapid growth of sex trafficking, forced prostitution, money laundering and other crimes, according to the city council.

Thank God none of that happens when prostitution is illegal!!

Actually, I think that in non-sprawl European cities, land becomes scarce, and I bet that some of this is the result of gentrification.

But also, there is no way to prevent "skimming" money from the business... and Europe's high taxes [[around 50% in many countries) exacerbates the problem of tax avoidance.

In a much larger city, such as Paris, have officials there tried to downsize the Red Light District around the Rue St. Denis?

**SWMAP** · March-27-12, 01:02 PM

Apparently Parisian officials already down-sized the Red Light District as prostitution continues to be illegal in France and Sarkozy has a history of opposing legalization. This from Wikipedia:
"Studies from 2003 estimated that about 15,000 – 20,000 women work as prostitutes in France. In 2010, the number of full-time male and female prostitutes was estimated at 20,000 – 30,000, with 80% being foreigners.
Sex work in France, like other countries takes many forms.
These include street prostitution, escort services, bars and apartment prostitution. Street prostitution is partly controlled by pimps, while other workers are autonomous prostitutes. The most famous prostitution street in Paris, the la Rue Saint-Denis, has been somewhat gentrified in recent years and the prostitutes have been moved further north. Escort services where one hires a woman or man for "entertainment" or companionship, but usually including sex are less common in France, compared to North America.
In bars, women try to induce men to buy expensive drinks along with sexual services. Prices are set by the bar owner, and the money is shared between the owner and the prostitute. Pigalle peepshows are well known for practising such scams. Prostitution in apartments is advertised in adult newspapers and magazines.
Swingers' clubs are places where partner-swapping occurs and sometimes paid prostitutes are in attendance, as well as 'amateur' women and couples who get in without paying the flat-rate charge of about 80 to 120 euros that men pay, including food, drink and unlimited sex sessions, with the added twist that these are performed in the open in full view of all the guests. In some cities, such as Lyon, sex workers use vans [[see illustration).

Maison closes
Brothels [[Maisons closes) remain illegal but operate discretely and clandestinely. Since their official closure in 1946 there have been periodic calls for their re-opening. In 1990 Michele Barzach [[RPR), a former Minister of health [[1986–8) suggested re-opening them in 1990 as a public health measure.
Another row erupted in 2002 with the proposal by Françoise de Panafieu [[UMP), which divided French feminists, with Gisele Halimi denouncing it, but Elisabeth Badinter seeing it as an issue of "the right to dispose freely of one's body".
A 2010 proposal by Chantal Brunel for a return to regulated brothels was opposed by French sex workers [[see Politics, above).

Occurrence · March-28-12, 05:50 PM

How any kind of consensual sex in private is against the law is mind boggling. Humans are weird creatures.

**davewindsor** · March-29-12, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Apparently Parisian officials already down-sized the Red Light District as prostitution continues to be illegal in France and Sarkozy has a history of opposing legalization.

He has to oppose it. France is a Catholic nation. Brothels will always be illegal in France because politicians have to follow what the electorate believes in to win the election. Just like brothels are illegal in Italy and Spain. In Germany, it's legal, but it's also a Lutheran nation. A lot of it has to do with the main religion.

**dmike76** · March-29-12, 07:25 AM

Giggity Giggity!!!!!

**SWMAP** · March-29-12, 09:02 AM

France is a Catholic nation. Brothels will always be illegal in France because politicians have to follow what the electorate believes in to win

I think its way more complicated than that. I think that France does not pay too much political attention to the Catholic Church. The issues are fear of increased trafficing, especially of minors and the difficulty of reliably taxing the business. In Germany, the dutiful street walkers actually pay a street meter for the time they worked. That would not happen in France. Maybe Canadians will be compliant because they are more compliant.

I imagine, though, that sex tourism will increase - men looking for underage girls - and Windsor will benefit.

Occurrence · March-29-12, 10:07 AM

Men are going to to go Windsor for underage girls? How do you figure?

**Scottathew** · March-29-12, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

Men are going to to go Windsor for underage girls? How do you figure?

It's a good question, since that is still illegal so it doesn't matter what country you do it in.

**SWMAP** · March-29-12, 10:33 AM

Apparently, according to researchers, legalized prostitution does increase sex trafficing as relatively few first-world women aspire to the trade. Persons establishing a brothel business won't be the mom-and-pops. It will be hard to keep the trafficers out. See this report:

http://www.defense.gov/home/features...Fact Sheet.pdf

Give a thought about how much sex tourism will result. It will be big, as Windsor is a border city. Windsor will attract the brothel business, because it is close to a vast market.

**Scottathew** · March-29-12, 10:48 AM

Driving leads to car accidents, should driving be illegal?

We need to allow people to be free and prosecute those who infringe upon the rights of others.

**mikeg19** · March-29-12, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

Driving leads to car accidents, should driving be illegal?

We need to allow people to be free and prosecute those who infringe upon the rights of others.

Of course it's not that black and white, but I generally agree with this. But I'm also of the opinion 80% of people are friggin idiots, and giving unlimited freedom to idiots, well, I don't know about that

Occurrence · March-29-12, 05:05 PM

Just like the failed "war on drugs," most of the negative side effects are the result of the laws that make the activities illegal in the first place.

**Meddle** · March-29-12, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Apparently, according to researchers, legalized prostitution does increase sex trafficing as relatively few first-world women aspire to the trade. Persons establishing a brothel business won't be the mom-and-pops. It will be hard to keep the trafficers out.

Give a thought about how much sex tourism will result. It will be big, as Windsor is a border city. Windsor will attract the brothel business, because it is close to a vast market.

"Trafficking" will still be illegal as will any other forced participation.

Moms and Pops might find it an interesting way to make legal money.

Any legal tourism is good.

**BagAJellyDonuts** · March-29-12, 05:42 PM

Canadian bordellos?

Somebody will franchise them.

Tim Whoretons.

**stromberg2** · March-29-12, 06:55 PM

^^^
That is funny as hell!

Stromberg2

**canuck** · March-29-12, 08:06 PM

BagAJellyDonuts,

It must be jelly, cause jam dont shake like that.

**Lowell** · March-29-12, 09:50 PM

The Red Light district, while on the surface attracts millions of tourists from all over the world to the Netherlands' capital city every year, also fuels rapid growth of sex trafficking, forced prostitution, money laundering and other crimes, according to the city council.

We all live in Amsterdam. One only has to look to the back pages of the Metro Times to see our red and green zones. Sex trafficking sadly happens everywhere but I'd bet that it is a lot less vicious where the trade is legal than not. Amsterdam simply shows how to make what-is-going-to-go-on-no-matter-what safer for participants. Instead of wasting money trying to stop it, the city makes a lot of money from it.