Preview

Sex Work And Social Work

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
241 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Sex Work And Social Work
Canada’s approach of regulating sex work has dramatically changed over the years. Commonly referred to as the world’s oldest profession, sex work today is associated with the issues of power. The practices of sex work are constructed by patriarchal conditions, “which both creates and legitimates the ‘needs’ as well as it perpetuates the systems and practices that permit sex work to flourish under capitalism” (Jeffreys, 2008, p. 185). The term sex work can be interpreted in mean different ways; it encompasses all forms of activities related to the sex industry, otherwise recognised as “prostitution”. The topic of sex work gives rise to intense debates on issues of morality, organized crime, sexuality, human trafficking, the abuse of women and children, public health and safety, human rights violations and gendered oppression. Throughout this paper, an overview of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act will be provided, followed by the history and an analysis of the issue from the conflicting sides. The discussion that follows examines the impacts of the Bill C-36 on social work practice.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    This not only applies to this individual case, but the majority of sex workers are female and clientele are male. Through this distinction it is evident that there is a patriarchal system in which male dominance is asserted over females (Eisler, Haines, & White, 152). As mentioned earlier, the clientele is in a more dominant and powerful position which oppresses and subordinate the sex-workers. The case examined the experiences of these young girls in which they were physically abused, sexually assaulted, and forced to comply with the customers. These young girls are treated as sexual objects, which goes back to the assumption that men are biologically superior to women. Liberal feminism holds the view that women should be able to receive the same rights as men without being discriminated against. If equal opportunities in the workplace for women as men, it would defer the number of woman entering sex-work (Eisler, Haines, & White, 147). Although that is to say that women from middle and upper class are not at risk compared to woman of working class to fall into prostitution. The same scenario can be applied to race, since discrimination or prejudices against races can vary in the experiences and opportunities available for women. If working class families, such as Machado’s were provided with more opportunities for employment, they would not be involved in prostitution rings and the whole incident could have been avoided. A socialization theory, would state that women are socialized by society to be nurturing and caring, which they believe directly results in lower crime rate than men. Whereas men are shown to be more aggressive and assertive, which would coincide with the higher levels of crime among males. The few expectations of women who are part of the crime rate are…

    • 1952 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    (112)Brock’s (2012) article defines the ever-changing shift anti-prostitution campaigns changes in relation to the “marketplace” of prostitution in terms of labels put on the industry. Brock (2012) argues that Canadian patriarchal culture has created new labels for the business of prostitution in an effort to avoid the penalties of the law. These activist barriers to legal and social definitions of prostitution are important variables in the effort to build campaigns that will thwart these methods of “marketplace” manipulation of…

    • 949 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    1. Is Prostitution Legal in Canada? This case study attempts to review the constitutional challenge to Canada’s prostitution law before its amendments in December 2014. The debate on Canada’s laws in regards to prostitution came to the forefront of public policy issues in the wake of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Canada (Attorney General) v. Bedford.…

    • 2666 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although COYOTE faced many opposing forces, the AIDS epic crisis showed COYOTE’s true commitment to protecting and helping sex worker’s health and well-being. They were able to create social welfare programs and support services that were urgently needed and successful. COYOTE “was one of the earliest feminist organizations to teach safer sex to women and to recommend condoms for protection against disease (Chatesuvert, 2013, p. 86). COYOTE was not only influential in being a leading movement to teach sexual health education, they established the California Prostitutes Education Project (CAL-PEP) in 1985 and the St James Infirmary. The CAL-PEP was created to conduct research on the prevalence of AIDS Among women, it started the first sex-worker…

    • 742 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “The second voice— sex workers and their allies—is louder, commands more media presence, and seems to enjoy more financial support. It proclaims that prostitution is a woman’s right and a form of productive labor, and that the…

    • 975 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Early 20th Century Vancouver was home to 40 female-run brothels , and police were concerned with eliminating street prostitution . This signified a control and toleration of sex work. Following the 1940’s, society viewed prostitutes as disease spreaders, causing sex workers to be removed from brothels, forced off the streets, fined, charged as criminals, and occasionally jailed . The closure of brothels continued rapidly in to the 1980’s . The perspective shift from society regarding prostitution caused a large shift in the momentum of prostitution. Women were forced on to the streets, with no place to go; their livelihoods were removed from them, and they were not only open public harassment, but to preying men and sexual predators due to the fact they were forced to take their previously safe work to the streets. According to today’s society, because one does not fit into a specific career class, they are not worthy of basic human rights. It is a completely inaccurate presumption that most people believe that prostitutes choose these lives, and so it is not their concern to attempt to help these…

    • 2081 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the Netherlands, the historical decriminalization process of prostitution was founded on public health standards, but it soon provided more protections and regulations for prostitutes as a means of decriminalizing a commercial enterprise. In many cases, prostitution has been seen as a voluntary profession that protects the rights of the prostitute, and prevents the involuntary exploitation of children and adults into the sex trade. In a similar manner, Canada has also had a history of decriminalizing prostitution in the 20th century, but with increasing barriers to worker’s rights for voluntary prostitutes as a legal and regulated business. However, modern Canadian legislation only protects involuntary sex workers, such as children and lower-class adult women, and it does not support the idea of a more expanded commercialized system of regulation for voluntary sex workers. This is a major difference between the decriminalized sex trade of the Netherlands and criminalized prostitution in Canada, which supports voluntary sex workers as members of a commercial trade. Certainly, the example of the Netherlands provides a more developed acknowledgment of voluntary sex workers as having rights under the protection of government regulation, which is also being considered in Canada.…

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Migrant Workers In Canada

    • 464 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Macklin (2013) explains that migrant workers participate on different types work because they need to support their families and/or themselves and have no other means of work. Macklin (2013) acknowledges that gender-inclusive phenomenon exist in the Canadian market. Women are imported to perform traditional women roles because the role is gender specific. Many Canadian women are not fulfilling traditional female role, so for that reasons many migrant workers it becomes a transnational trade. These services are usually sex workers, domestic workers, and mail orders. Macklin (2013) defines sex trade workers as a person whose work involves sexually explicit behaviour. Domestic workers are people who are paid to help with mental tasks such as cleaning or nanny. Mail-order brides are women who enlist herself to be selected by a man for a marriage. Macklin (2013) notes that trading women in a business and migrant women are used for certain jobs, whether working for a pimp, parents or a single men, most of the women are poor and young. The impact of international law on domestic and immigration law is seen as a symbol. Canada laws does not protect migrant workers for being exploited and trafficked, instead it is used to make a decision about sexual exploitation that does not sex workers. Overall, the Canadian government has constructed migrant workers as outsiders and women are affected by construction because they use as trading pieces in the Canadian…

    • 464 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In the 21st century, the profession of prostitution has been a target of great controversy as far as the ethical and moral issues are concerned. Prostitution is one of the oldest professions of this world and the critical debate with regard to the moral and ethical values of this profession are not a surprise for anyone. “Prostitution can be defined as “The act or practice of engaging in sexual intercourse for money,” and is usually provided as an underground service” (LaBossiere). A comprehensive majority of the world’s population believes that prostitution is an immoral and unethical profession and it is also considered to be an illegal practice in most parts of the world. However, the profession has only grown dramatically over the past few decades and many…

    • 1713 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Canada, human trafficking often occurs in large urban centers, and also in small towns and communities, mostly for sexual exploitation. We know that men, women, and children survive this crime, but women represent the majority of victims in Canada. More generally, those likely to be at risk include those who are socially or economically disadvantaged, such as some Aboriginal women, young people and children, immigrants and new immigrants, children who missed puberty, protected children, as well as girls and young people. Women who can walk to large city centers or want to migrate there. Young women are sometimes hired by younger male members of the street gangs, who use promises of love as a means of gathering them.…

    • 447 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    social work

    • 3096 Words
    • 13 Pages

    In this essay I will discuss how I feel that I have developed personally and professionally as a social work student during the first level of the degree course. I will do this through examination of reflective accounts recorded during the placement learning opportunity. I believe that the use of reflection has been very significant in enhancing my personal skills and learning about my own values. I also believe that the course has instilled me with more self awareness and has given me a better understanding of how I am perceived by others. I have learned that through anti oppressive practice, social workers are able to promote inclusion by challenging discrimination and inequalities. In this essay, I will examine the methods, tools, and techniques that I have learned to date. I will conclude by discussing my particular learning needs and plan for the remainder of the course. As part of this, I will consider my learning style and the necessary methods I will utilise to bridge the learning gaps.…

    • 3096 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prostitution In Canada

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages

    It is essential to understand that people, both men and women, do actively and willingly engage in sex work; the reality is, it is not going away. It is my opinion, and indeed the opinion of the Government of Canada, that some forms of sex work should be legalized.…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Anti-prostitution law will imperil prostitutes and in most scenarios makes thing very difficult for them. In countries like Canada and Nevada, prostitution is not considered a crime. Nevertheless, communication and some other activities related to prostitution like human trafficking has been prohibited. Prostitutes who are Street based are the most visible and receive the most attention. This represents only a small section of the sex industry, which also incorporates brothels and escort services. Capturing to arrest and punish prostitutes mirrors our overall population's hesitation concerning sexual activities and male desire and sexual freedom. (Boels, 2015).…

    • 315 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Human Trafficking In Canada

    • 2620 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Roots, K. (2013). Trafficking or Pimping?: An Analysis of Canada’s Human Trafficking. Canadian Journal of Law and Society, 21-41.…

    • 2620 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    When The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, the three main goals of this legislation involve the children who are in or are going to be in the foster care. These three goals are safety, well-being, and permanency. These goals are of the upmost importance when it comes to the foster care system because it gives the children an opportunity to settle into their new environment with stability and comfort in the most traumatic times. The first and most important goal is safety. The children who are placed in foster care are usually children who have been removed from an unsafe situation, and are placed with (hopefully) family members, or trained individuals on the foster care system (foster parents, group homes, etc.) need to be in a safe environment. A safe environment can include limited to no contact with the abusers themselves, or complete removal from the situation itself. Well-being is another important aspect of the foster care system that provides the children with options to better themselves and to acquire counseling while also providing support to help the child understand what has happened. The final aspect of the system is permanency. While it is important to know the cold is safe and their well being is taken care of, we have to be aware that the child is not going to be stable until they are placed in a permanent residence which is hopefully with a family member or a foster home. If the child is placed in a foster home it is a hopeful outcome that the foster family be willing to adopt the child if the situation arises.…

    • 457 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays