Leave the johns alone...
This seems designed to harass men..and nothing more...
A new provincial law allowing Alberta police to seize the cars of people soliciting sex trader workers comes into effect on Monday.
First-time johns can get their cars back after performing community service, but those who get caught more than once could see their vehicles seized by the province and auctioned off.
"The focus here is about creating safe and healthy communities,'' Kate Quinn, head of the Prostitution Awareness and Action Foundation of Edmonton, told The Canadian Press.
"Children and women in the communities are leered at, they're harassed by men.''
posted by GayandRight @ 4:08 PM
5 Comments:
Actually it's aimed at getting the trade out of residential communities. Too bad if men feel picked on. When children can't be outside to play in their own neighborhood, it's time to get harsh. How would you feel if your child or younger sibling constantly saw used condoms and needles laying around outside their home? Daily saw women selling sex? And don't forget about the other fine activities involved, drugs, pimps...etc.
I think it's a good start. The program is modelled on those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Winnepeg has enjoyed an 80% crime reduction in the areas targeted. I think that the folks in Edmonton's inner city would appreciate a number like that!
"Actually it's aimed at getting the trade out of residential communities."
Seems then, that the way to do that is to regulate the trade, isn't it? As I recall, prostitution is legal (soliciting and living off the avails are both illegal) - so both parties to this transaction are engaging in legal behaviour. Why then, are only the customers faced with a possible economic loss of several thousand dollars? Why is the penalty non-uniform across different customers, depending on the make, age, and condition of their automobile?
It is an open question whether customers go where the vendors are, or vice-versa - but so far as I can see, we do nothing to encourage (or, more accurately, coerce) street sellers of sex to locate in different areas. If it is simply not acceptable at all in any location, why then should it not be made illegal under the Criminal Code, as it was for many years?
I think it should just be legalised and regulated... get the prostitutes off the streets and into brothels of some type, have the brothels licenced, and give them frequent inspections to ensure use of condoms and check the workers for signs of abuse, STIs or drugs. Revoke the licence of those that fail.
I think people are missing the bigger problem with this law.
The accused's car is taken right away, and kept by the authorities "until the matter is resolved in court".
Punishment first. Trial second.
The accused is in a much more awkward position than having to face their wife, or family or friends. They're in the position of deciding whether to accept the punishment and fight the charges, or plead guilty to the charges and end the punishment.
The state is saying "We're keeping your car. Plead guilty, and you can have it back. Plead not guilty, and we're keeping it until the trial is over (and have fun riding the bus looking for a lwayer)."
The lesson is "Don't get wrongfully accused of soliciting in Alberta".
If you're wrongfully accused of soliciting in Alberta you have two choices now. Plead guilty of the crime you're innocent of, and get your car back. Alternatively, fight the charges in court, and ride the bus until the trial is over and you've prove your innocence.
Doesn't seem right to me.
Local residents will care about little things like civil liberties only until someone utters the three most powerful words in politics: "Protect the children."
The words dont actually need to have any relation to reality. Or the issue at hand. Just speaking them is enough.
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