About Us

The Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform is made of sex worker rights groups across Canada.  Our objective is to create a unified and cohesive response to law reform, and to strengthening the capacity of our communities to engage with legislative processes that impact on our lives. Together we represent a diverse group of sex workers and allies that have come together around law reform: some of the groups provide front-line service provision to sex workers in their region, and others are grassroots advocacy organizations. The member groups of the Alliance operate differently in their approach and every day work with sex workers. We come together with a unified voice for sex work law reform.

Decriminalization is one part of our larger struggle for the recognition and actualization of sex workers’ rights — including the rights to autonomy and self-determination, security of the person, freedom of expression and association, equality and non-discrimination, self-determination, work (and safe, healthy, just working conditions), health and dignity. Beyond the criminalization of sex work, laws and policies contribute and reinforce inequality, disadvantage and discrimination based on various biological, social and cultural categories such as race, gender, class, ability, citizenship status, mobility, and physical and mental health status, among others. Decriminalization alone cannot overcome all of the other injustices and structural barriers that many of us face, but it is a necessary step to ensure the protection of sex workers’ rights.

Some members of our communities face police harassment regardless of their participation in sex work, particularly Indigenous women and youth, people who are im/migrants (particularly racialized women) and trans folk (especially trans women). The criminalization of the sale or exchange of sexual services gravely exacerbates their stigmatization and marginalization.

Decriminalization is an important first step towards addressing the dangers that come with being criminalized and/or working in a criminalized industry. The criminalization of our work comes with a constant police presence, social and racial profiling, harassment, surveillance, arrest, detention and deportation — all of which contribute to our isolation and vulnerability to violence.

 

Updates

Media Release: Sex workers are deeply disappointed with the Ontario Superior Court decision dismissing systemic harms experienced

Monday, September 18, 2023 — Today, the Ontario Superior Court released its decision in CASWLR v Attorney General (Canada), a case that sought to strike down harmful provisions of the Protection of Communities and Exploited People Act (PCEPA) on the grounds that they violate sex workers’ Charter rights. Sex workers across Canada are devastated to …

Petition: Stop Bill S-224 : Stop harmful amendments to the human trafficking offence

We are individuals, academics, and organizations coming together to express our opposition to Bill S-224. Its proposed amendments to the human trafficking offence will intensify the criminalization of sex workers, racialized people, and migrants under the guise of fighting human trafficking. It also has damaging, wide-reaching implications that extend to workers beyond the sex industry. You can still sign on here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpZen_ggdhzmpe5yiUL37n1Llba3Sm8AOZjzuc5UM5kEIo7A/viewform In the last few decades, …

Media Statement: Amendments to the Expungement Act: Liberals Once Again Pay Lip Service to Equality

Media Statement: Amendments to the Expungement Act: Liberals Once Again Pay Lip Service to Equality March 8, 2023 – On the day before International Women’s Day, this government yet again failed to recognize this country’s most marginalized women working in the sex industry. Yesterday, Public Safety Canada announced that it was making amendments to the Expungement …

Who We Are

We are an alliance of sex worker led and allied organizations working to reform Canada’s sex work specific laws and policies.