Open letter calls for Nordic approach to prostitution in Canada

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      Editor's note: The following open letter on the topic of prostitution in Canada has garnered over 800 signatures. It was written in response to another open letter that called for the decriminalization of sex work.

      Right Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada,
      Mr. Thomas Mulcair, MP, Leader of the Official Opposition, the New Democratic Party of Canada,
      Mr. Justin Trudeau, MP, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada,
      Mr. Jean-François Fortin, MP, Interim Leader of the Bloc Québécois,
      Ms. Elizabeth May, MP, Leader of the Green Party of Canada

      April 23, 2014

      Dear Sirs and Madam, 

      We—the undersigned—are women who work in different capacities to end violence against women and to protect and advance women’s rights to equality. Prostitution is a practice in which women’s subordination to men is inherent and lived out repeatedly. Consequently, we are writing to you today to urge you to support the “Nordic approach” to legislation on prostitution for Canada, because it includes legislation, intensive social supports, and public education strategies, all designed to reduce and eliminate prostitution. 

      We are aware of the March 27 open letter from the Gender and Sexual Health Initiative at the University of British Columbia (GSHI), which calls for decriminalization of all aspects of prostitution, including buyers and profiteers, on the grounds that this is the only “evidence‑based” policy option.

      The use of the term “evidence-based” has become a smear used by those supporting the sex industry to suggest that those who oppose it in the name of women’s equality are arguing from a position of nothing more than anecdote or opinion.  The list of signatories implies that only those with formal credentials can “research” or interpret evidence.  We reject both of these premises.  Evidence about the harms of prostitution is gathered by academic researchers, survivors of prostitution and those working on the front-line. That evidence proves that prostitution is violence against women.

      This is not only a dispute about evidence; it is a dispute about goals and principles, and legislators will have to decide carefully which principles they wish to uphold, and which goals they wish to pursue, for women in Canada. The evidence in the same studies and government reports cited in the GHSI letter supports intensive efforts, worldwide, to reduce and eliminate prostitution. All reports and studies on prostitution confirm that, as the Ontario Court of Appeal said in Bedford, “prostitution is inherently dangerous in virtually any circumstance.”[1] Merely attempting to reduce the ancillary dangers of prostitution is an inadequate, and in our view, discriminatory strategy.

      The signatories to the GHSI letter believe that prostitution, or ‘sex work’, is sex between consenting adults; that a bright line can be drawn between ‘sex work’ and trafficking and child prostitution; and that a harm reduction strategy is all that is necessary to moderate the worst effects of the commercial sex industry.  We believe that prostitution constitutes violence against women because it is a practice of subordination and exploitation that is gendered, raced, and classed; that, as the Supreme Court of Canada found in Bedford, most women cannot be said to choose prostitution,[2] and consequently, in the experience of women, any line between prostitution, trafficking and child prostitution is more artificial than real. Therefore, we believe that a strategy that affirms the human dignity of women and girls is essential and the only approach consistent with Canada’s principles of equality.

      A Women’s Equality Framework

      First of all, any new approach to prostitution must be set in a women’s equality framework and reflect the fact that equality for women is a fundamental principle of Canadian law, enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and set out in human rights legislation that governs employment and services in all jurisdictions in the country.  Prostitution is a social institution that both manifests and embeds the inequality between women and men, perpetuating women’s subordination to men, and their status as sexual commodities for men’s use. In Canada, as elsewhere, men are overwhelmingly buyers and women are the ones being sold. It is not sufficient in the face of these facts to take an approach that might merely reduce the harms that surround prostitution, when prostitution itself is a reinforcement of women’s subordination.

      Further, the evidence is clear, including in affidavits filed by both the claimants and the defendants in the Bedford case, that women enter into prostitution because of economic need and profound social disadvantage. As it makes no sense to penalize women for their sexual, social, and economic inequality, we endorse the legislative approach of the Nordic model, that is, to decriminalize those—usually women— who are being bought and sold, but to apply criminal sanctions to buyers, pimps, and those who profit from the sale of women’s bodies. The criminal law by itself is not a solution to the inequality problem that prostitution represents, but it is essential, in our view, that the criminal law convey a clear message about women’s equality in Canada: in this case, the message that men’s purchase of sex is an egregious and impermissible violation of equality rights. 

      Who is in Prostitution?

      Most women in prostitution in Canada are there because of poverty, homelessness, addictions, lack of social supports, racism, and the many harsh impacts of colonialism on Aboriginal communities and families. Aboriginal women and girls are disproportionately represented in street prostitution and among women in prostitution who have been murdered. In British Columbia, as the Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution (AWCEP) has documented, Asian women are disproportionately represented in indoor prostitution, in venues such as massage parlours, where they are advertised to clients as ‘exotic.’ Many women enter prostitution as children; many have histories of child sexual abuse. Most say they would leave prostitution if they could.

      These are well‑established facts. Prostitution is evidence of, and entrenches, sex, race, and class hierarchies. In the face of this, it is wholly inaccurate to call prostitution sex between consenting adults or to explain women’s presence in prostitution as choice, when the choice of women to be in prostitution, or to leave it, is so heavily constrained.  Prostitution for poor, racialized women in Canada cannot be called liberty. 

      The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) has made a public call for help to stop the buying and pimping of Aboriginal women, and to stop the poverty and abuse that funnels them into prostitution. NWAC has said that its goal is to “end the prostitution of women and girls through legal and public policy measures that recognize the state’s obligations to 1) provide for basic needs and 2) protect women and girls from male violence.” The Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution (AWCEP) makes the same call. We support NWAC and AWCEP and join our voices to theirs.

      It is apparent from the facts about women in prostitution that concerted and comprehensive social program intervention is required to prevent women and girls from entering prostitution and to assist them to leave it.  Well‑designed interventions by Canada’s governments, with long‑term commitments to address the social and economic disadvantage of women and girls, and particularly of Aboriginal and other racialized women and girls, will be needed, not just piecemeal short‑term exit services, drop‑in centers, or safe houses. Creating conditions that minimize the risk of women entering prostitution, and genuinely helping them to leave it, requires providing women and girls with adequate alternative sources of income, including social assistance sufficient to meet basic needs, adequate housing, access to all levels of education, decent work, child care, and counseling, addiction, and mental health services. 

      On this point too we find the Nordic model helpful, because it is clear that criminal law, by itself, is not a sufficient solution to the profound inequality that prostitution represents. Genuine programmatic and budgetary commitments by governments are also necessary to address the deeply rooted social and economic disadvantages of women and the history of sexism, racism, and colonialism that underlie prostitution.  

      Why Canada Should Not Legalize Buying, Pimping and Profiting

      Legalizing or decriminalizing prostitution has been tried in the Netherlands, Germany, the state of Nevada, some states in Australia, and New Zealand. Such an approach means that governments and societies accept that there is an underclass of women (defined by some combination of poverty, race and addiction) who can continue to be exploited in prostitution, even though prostitution is inherently an institution of sex inequality and violence. We do not agree that prostitution is acceptable for any women, or that the goal of equality between women and men can be abandoned for some women.

      The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) flatly rejects the prospect of indoor prostitution in legalized brothels as an advance for Aboriginal women and girls. They point out that Aboriginal women and girls who are in street prostitution are unlikely to move indoors because poverty and racism keep them in the most dangerous forms of prostitution. Even if this were not the case, NWAC finds that, over time, Aboriginal women and girls have been shifted from institution to institution by settler governments—residential schools, group homes, prisons. The brothel appears to be the most recent institution that is considered better and safer for Aboriginal women. But this is not equality for Aboriginal women and girls. As AWCEP knows from the experience of its members, indoor prostitution is no answer; it merely puts hard walls around the inequality of poor and racialized women, and leaves it unchanged.

      Further, legalization and decriminalization, as an approach, renders the men who are buyers, pimps, and prostitution entrepreneurs invisible; their activities become protected, legal, and normalized.  We believe that this is a wrong approach: men must be held accountable when they subordinate and exploit women. Equality for women cannot be achieved in Canada if we are unwilling to engage with the cruel reality that men exploit women in prostitution.

      Even within the limited goal that legalization sets for itself – i.e., to reduce the harms that surround prostitution – the evidence does not show that it has succeeded.  The most recent comprehensive study of prostitution and trafficking in one hundred and fifty countries finds that countries that have legalized prostitution show an increased inflow of trafficked persons, and growth in the size of the prostitution industry.[3] Government reports from Germany, the Netherlands, and New Zealand say that street prostitution persists,[4] and that there is little improvement in the conditions of women in prostitution.[5] The violence inherent in prostitution is accepted by legalization, and the violence regularly associated with prostitution does not disappear.

      In addition, what is legalized and normalized is not just individual prostitution transactions, but the prostitution industry. It not only becomes legal for individual men to purchase access to women’s bodies, but also legal to own and run a business that sells access to women’s bodies, or for employers in isolated work locations to provide men access to women for sex as an aspect of employment. For Canada to take this step would be both dangerous and discriminatory. 

      Where Should Canada Stand?

      Canada has a history of commitment to women’s equality, to racial equality, and to vigorous social programs as a means of creating a more egalitarian society in which the basic needs of all Canadians are met. In addition the rights of Aboriginal peoples, and of Aboriginal women to live free from violence, are set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, recently endorsed by Canada. Consistent with Canada’s long‑standing commitments to equality, we urge you now to support a Nordic‑model approach to new legislative, programmatic, and public education strategies to reduce and eliminate prostitution in Canada.

      We do not accept prostitution as a solution to women’s poverty; we want something much better for Canada’s poor and racialized women and girls. We believe you do too, and we urge you to act on your commitments to women and to an egalitarian Canada.  

      List of Signatories

      • Hamai Abdiwahabu - Bénévole GAP, Chateauguay, QC, Canada
      • Saadatou Abdoulkarim - Militante féministe, QC, Canada
      • Esohe Aghatise - Executive Director, Associazione Iroko Onlus, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Torino, Italy
      • Ti-Grace Atkinson - Radical feminist, Cambridge, MA, United States
      • Michele Audette – President, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Cenen M. Bagon - Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregivers Rights, Vancouver, BC, Cana
      • Jane Bailey - B.A.S., M.I.R., LL.B., LL.M. Associate Professor, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Grace Balbutin - Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada
      • Sheila Ballantyne - PhD candidate, Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Kat Banyard - UK Feminista, United Kingdom
      • Trisha Baptie - Formerly Exploited Voices Now Educating, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Kathleen Barry - Ph.D. Sociologist, Professor Emerita, Author of: Female Sexual Slavery and Prostitution of Sexuality: Global Exploitation of Women, United States
      • Suzanne Baustad - Immigration and Refugee Law Paralegal, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Professor Louise Bélanger Hardy LL.B., LL.M. – University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Ijose Aghatise - Ospedale Amedeo di Savoia, Turin, Italy
      • Roseline Iroghama Aghatise - Iroko Charity Organisation, Nigeria
      • Isoken Aikpitanyi - Sex Trafficking Survivor and co founder of Associazione Ragazze di Benin City, Italy
      • Dr. Ochuko Ajari - Boston, MA, United States
      • Soerette Alexandre - Mémorante en linguistique, Militante féministe, Haïti
      • Geneviève Allard - Scientfique en environnement, Rimouski, QC, Canada
      • Jess Alley - TDEV Concordia University, Montreal QC, Canada
      • Gwendoline Allison - Foy Allison Law Group, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Gisèle Ampleman - Membre du comité québécois de conscientisation, QC, Canada
      • Rachel Ariey-Jouglard - Gatineau, QC, Canada
      • Margaretha Aronson - Member of Fredrika Bremer Förbundet, Sweden
      • Association Femmes pour le Dire, Femmes pour Agir, France
      • Gertrud Åström - President, the Swedish Women's Lobby
      • Kelsey Atkinson - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Nancy Aubé - Intervenante, Rouyn-Noranda, PQ, Canada
      • Professor Constance Backhouse - B.A., LL.B., LL.M., LL.D. (HonsLSUC), LL.D. (Hons U Man), Distinguished University Professor and University Research Chair at the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Roxanne Badger - Bénévole GAP, Chateaugay, QC, Canada
      • Iliana Balabanova-Stoicheva - Coordinator of Bulgarian Women's Lobby, Bulgaria
      • Ilaria Baldini - Resistenza femminista, Italy
      • Gabriela Delgado Ballesteros - Investigadora, Programa Universitario Derechos Humanos, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
      • Ixtlan Pax Ballesteros - Azusa, CA, United States
      • Jose Krisanto Ballesteros - Manila, Philippines
      • Pauline Ballesteros - Azusa, CA, United States
      • Paula Barber - Toronto, ON, Canada
      • Pauline Baril - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Sharon Barnes - Student, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Cassandra Barnaby - Reception, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Claudette Bastien - Présidente du Comité d’action contre la traite humaine interne et internationale, Infirmière semi-retraitée, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Brigitte Martel Baussant - Secrétaire générale de la Coordination française pour le lobby européen des femmes
      • Rosalyn Baxandall - Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus, SUNY, Old Westbury (now CUNY Labor School), NY, United States
      • Rose Beatty - Member of University Women’s Club, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Huguette Beauchamp, S.M. - Travailleuse sociale retraitée mais secrétaire au conseil général des srs. De miséricorde, QC, Canada
      • Julie Béchard - Centre Passerelle, Timmins, ON, Canada
      • Carole Bédard - QC, Canada
      • Hélène Bédard - QC, Canada
      • Louise Bégin - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Claire Bélanger - Saint-Nicolas, QC, Canada
      • Josée Bélisle - Intervenante communautaire, Amos, QC, Canada
      • Janine Benedet - LLB, LLM, SJD, Associate professor of Law, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Sophie Bennett - UK Feminista, United Kingdon
      • Christine Bickson - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Taina Bien Aime - Executive Director, Coalition Against the Trafficking in Women
      • Geneva Biggers - Women’s peer support group member, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Rebecca Bishop - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Cécile Bisson – QC, Canada
      • Mary-Lee Bouma - Resist Exploitation, Embrace Dignity (REED), Vancouver, BC,
      • Axelle Beniey - coordinatrice de projet, Guadeloupe
      • Annette Benoit - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Josée Benoit - survivante et militante, Malartic, QC, Canada
      • Sarah Benson - Chief Executive Officer, Ruhama: Frontline service to women affected by prostitution and sex trafficking, Ireland
      • Summer-Rain Bentham - Squamish Nation, Front line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Kristen Berg - Equality Now, New York, NY, United States
      • Samantha Berg - Journalist and organizer, Johnstompers.com, Portland, OR, United States
      • Marina Bergadano - Law Offices, Marina Bergadano & Co., Turin, Italy
      • Catie Bergeron – intervenante, CALACS, Charlevoix, QC, Canada
      • Jocelyne Bernatchez - Directrice des ventes, Amos, QC, Canada
      • Nicole Bernier - Animatrice provinciale, QC, Canada
      • Helene Berry - RN, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Julie Bindel - Journalist, author and feminist campaigner, United Kingdom
      • Lucie Bilodeau - Aide-jardinière, Ste-Christine, QC, Canada
      • Francine Blais - Retraitée en Service social et à mi-temps, coordonnatrice des Ami-e-s de la Famille Internationale de la Miséricorde, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Nadine Blais - Enseignante au cégep de l'Outaouais, Travailleuse sociale de formation (niveau maitrise), Gatineau, QC, Canada
      • Stassy Blais - Étudiante en technique de travail social, Amos, QC, Canada
      • Annie Blouin - Intervenante sociale au CALACS, Granby, QC, Canada
      • Linda Boisclair - Responsable du comité de la condition féminine du Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain-CSN, Longueuil, QC, Canada
      • Pierrette Boissé - Responsable du dossier sur la traite humaine à la Congrégation de Notre-Dame, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Gabrielle Boissonneault - Intervenante, Rouyn-Noranda, PQ, Canada
      • Annick Boissonneault - travailleuse sociale, Val d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Sophie Bolduc - Stagiaire au CALCS de Chateauguay, Montréal, QC, Canada=
      • Antonia Bonito - Turin Municipality Police Force, Turin, Italy
      • Bernard Bosc - Réseau féministe “Ruptures”, QC, Canada
      • Claudia Bouchard - travaille au quotidien avec des femmes qui ont été dans la prostitution, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Diane Bouchard - Retraitée, Charlevoix, QC, Canada
      • France Boucher - Avocate et chargée de cours à l’UQAM, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Boucher, Mahara - ASETS Adminstrative Assistant, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Nadjet Bouda - Responsable administrative à la Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle, Étudiante à la maitrise en science politique à l’UQAM, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Claudie Bougon-Guibert - Conseil national des femmes françaises
      • Carole Boulebsol - Sociologue Ma., Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Ginette Bourdon - Infirmière retraitée, Brossard, QC, Canada
      • Jeannine Bourget - Animatrice, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Nadine Bouteilly-Dupont - President, Libres Mariannes, LMS, Member of the European Women Lobby
      • Lise Bouvet - Gender Studies Researcher, Switzerland
      • Susan B. Boyd - F.R.S.C. Professor, Chair in Feminist Legal Studies Faculty of Law at Allard Hall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Christine Boyle - Professor Emeritus States, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Valérie Brancquart - Québec, QC, Canada
      • Elizabeth Briemberg - Retired Supreme Court of BC Family Conciliator, Burnaby, BC, Canada
      • Pascale Brosseau - Intervenante, Lévis, QC, Canada
      • Twiss Butler - Member Abolish Prostitution Now Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW International), National Organization for Women, United States
      • Serena Caldarone - Resistenza Femminista, Italy
      • Annie Campbell - Director, Women’s Aid Federation, Northern Ireland
      • Chiara Carpita - Resistenza femminista, Italy
      • Francesca Carpita - Italy
      • Melina Caudo - Executive Director, Associazione Progettarsì, Turin, Italy
      • Martha Centola - Vice President, Associazione Iroko Onlus, Turin, Italy
      • Karen Cody - President of the Board of Directors for The Organization for Prostitution Survivors, Seattle, WA, United States
      • Mylène Collin - Intervenante, Québec, QC, Canada
      • Jennifer Conkie - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Lynda Coplin - retired teacher, Surrey, BC, Canada
      • Kelly Coulter - Drug Policy Advocate, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Larissa Crack - Northern Women's Connection, Canada
      • Mary DeFusco - Esq. Director of Training and Recruitment, Defender Association of Philadelphia, United States
      • Anastasia DeRosa - Front line crisis worker, Vancouver Rape Relief & Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Francine Descarries - Ph.D, Professeure et Directrice scientifique du Réseau québécois en études féministes (RéQEF) UQAM, Montreal, QC, Canada
      • Tamar Dina - Music Liberatory, Halifax, NS, Canada
      • Dr. Gail Dines - Professor of Sociology, Wheelock College, Boston, MA, United States
      • Caryn Duncan - MA, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Catherine Dunne - Act to Prevent Trafficking, Ireland
      • Anna Edman - Sweden
      • Teresa Edwards - B.A., JD. Director, International Affairs and Human Rights, In-House Legal Counsel, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Gunilla S. Ekberg  - Former special advisor on prostitution and human trafficking to the Swedish government, human rights lawyer, Canada and Sweden
      • Fiona Elvines - Operations Coordinator, Rape & Sexual Support Centre Croydon, UK
      • Jimena Eyzaguirre -  M.Sc., M.R.M. Senior Climate Change Specialist, ESSA Technologies Ltd. Ottawa Chapter Co-chair, Canada-Mathare Education Trust
      • Melissa Farley - Ph.D., Prostitution Research & Education, San Francisco, CA, United States
      • Colleen Fuller - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Professor Karen Boyle - Chair in Feminist Media Studies, University of Stirling, UK
      • Easton Branam - Seattle, WA, United States
      • Chantal Brassard - Intervenante sociale au CALACS, Granby, QC, Canada
      • Marie-Claude Brault - QC, Canada
      • Annick Brazeau - Travailleuse sociale, Baccalauréat en travail social, Diplôme d’études collégiales en techniques policières, Certificat universitaire en développement international, Étudiante à la maîtrise en travail social
      • Hélène Brazeau - Professeure au cégep de l'Outaouais, Maîtrise en psychoéducation de l'UQO, Cantley, QC, Canada
      • Cathy Brennan - Gender Identity Watch, United States
      • Janie Breton - Féministe, QC, Canada
      • Judith Bridge - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Dr. Gwen Brodsky - LLB, LLm, PhD, Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada
      • Cleta Brown - LLB, LLM, member of University Women’s Club, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Kimberly Brown - Equality Now, Nairobi, Kenya
      • Nancy Brown - SC, OBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Alma Bulawan - President, BUKLOD Survivors' Group, Olongapo, Philippines
      • Autumn Burris - Survivors for Solutions, United States
      • Dr. Shauna Butterwick - Department of Educational Studies, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Elizabeth Cahill - St John’s, NL, Canada
      • Laure Caille - General Secretary, Libres Mariannes, LMS, Member of the European Women Lobby
      • Tulsi Callichum - Bénévole GAP, Chateauguay, QC, Canada
      • Callie Fleeger – Student, Talent, OR, United States
      • Associate Professor Angela Cameron BA, LLB, LLM, PhD – University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Laura Capuzzo - Gruppo Femminile Plurale, Italy
      • Marie-Josée Carbonneau - Agente de sécurité, Amos, QC, Canada
      • Elda Carly - Équipes d'Action Contre le Proxénétisme, Paris, France
      • Chantale Caron - Agricultrice, St-Roch-de-Richelieu, QC, Canada
      • Carole Cayer – Intervenante, CALACS de Chateauguay, Mercier, QC, Canada
      • Ida Centola - Avigliana, Italy
      • Pat Cervelli - Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Tuolumne, CA, United States
      • Gaétane Chabot - Saint-Laurent-de-l’île-d'Orléans, QC, Canada
      • Maude Chalvin - Chargée de projet intersectionnalité et agente de communication RQCALACS, Montréal, PQ, Canada
      • Yuly Chan - Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada
      • Jaclyn Chang - MA, Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada
      • Elaine Charkowski – United States
      • Emmanuelle Charlebois - Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Alexandra Charles - Ordförande, Stockholm, Sweden
      • Vanessa Chase - Board Member, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Christiana Cheng - PhD, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Gaétane Chénier - Intervenante communautaire, Amos, QC, Canada
      • Missy Chirprin - Radio Host/Producer, United States.
      • Youngsook Cho - Korean Women's Association United, South Korea
      • Jomini Chu - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Kim Chu - University of Calgary Nursing, Vancouver, BC, Canada,
      • Mélanie Clément - Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Christina Clément - femme, Val d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Conseil national des femmes françaises
      • Coordination française pour le lobby européen des femmes
      • Jeannine Cornellier - SNJM, Association des religieuses pour les Droits des femmes, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Luce Côté - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Madeleine Côté - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Véronique Couillard – Intervenante, CALACS Charlevoix, Charlevoix, PQ, Canada
      • Dr. Maddy Coy - Reader in Sexual Exploitation and Gender Equality, London Metropolitan University, UK
      • Annie Crepin - France
      • Maisie Faith J. Dagapioso - Woman Health Philippines, Zamboanga City
      • Madeleine Dagenais - Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Octavia Dahl - United States
      • Florence Daigneault - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Lucie Daigneault - Comptable à l'administration locale de la Maison mère des Soeurs de Miséricorde, Laval, QC, Canada
      • Mathilde Darton - Intervenante, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada
      • Mélissa Dauphin - Artiste engagée, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Jo-Anne David - Centre Colibri, Barrie, ON, Canada
      • Stephanie Davies-Arai – United Kingdom.
      • Shelagh Day - CM, Director, Poverty and Human Rights Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Docteure Michèle Dayras - présidente de SOS sexisme, France
      • Aurora Javate De Dios - Executive Director, Women and Gender Institute, Miriam College, Philippines
      • Blathnaid de Faoite - Daughter of a survivor of prostitution, Ireland
      • Mia de Faoite - Survivor of Prostitution & Philosophy student at The National University of Ireland, Ireland
      • Yolande de La Bruère - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Veronica DeLorme - BA, MA, Retired, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Yvette Delorme - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Theresa Delory – QC, Canada
      • Christiane Delteil - Présidente d'honneur du CIDFF 34, Membre du CT de l'Amicale du Nid "La babotte", Montpellier, France
      • Line Demers - Adjointe administrative, Diplôme de commis-comptable, Maison d’hébergement pour elles des Deux Vallées, QC, Canada
      • Kim Deniger - Policière, DEC en Techniques Policières, Gatineau, QC, Canada
      • Amelia Denny-Keys - Student, Langley, BC, Canada
      • Linda Denny - MSW, RSW, Langley, BC, Canada
      • Annie Denoncourt - Criminologue, Intervenante jeunesse, Ste-Brigitte-des-Saults, QC, Canada
      • Claire Desaint - Vice-President, Réussir l'égalité femmes-hommes, France=
      • Lise Desrochers - Éducatrice retraitée, Ville de Québec, QC, Canada
      • Carmen Dion - Intervenante, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada
      • Françoise Dion - Donnacona, QC, Canada
      • Christine Dionne - Employée du gouvernement du Canada - école de la fonction du Canada, Spécialiste en apprentissage et en développement, Baccalauréat en éducacion de l'anglais langue seconde de l'UQAM, Diplôme d'éducation aux adultes du Collège de Vancouver, Diplôme de business administration du Collège de Kingston, ON, Canada
      • Dr. Peggy Dobbins - Port Lavaca, TX, United States
      • Winifred Doherty - Good Shepherd Sister and NGO representative to the United Nations
      • Isabelle Dostie, intervenante CALACS, Val d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Francine Doucette - Secrétaire et aussi amie dans la famille internationale de la miséricorde, St-Eustache, QC, Canada
      • Siméon Doucette - Retraité de la compagnie Bell canada et ami dans la fam. Int. De la miséricorde, St-Eustache, QC, Canada
      • Jennifer Drew - Consultant to Scottish Women Against Pornography, United Kingdom
      • Marie Drouin - Militante et survivante de la prostitution, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Laurie Drummond - Member of University Women’s Club, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Kim Dubé - Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Geneviève Duché - présidente de l’Amicale du Nid, France
      • Micheline Dufour - Retraitée, Charlevoix, PQ, Canada
      • Rose Dufour - Anthropologue, Directrice générale et fondatrice de la Maison De Marthe, QC, Canada
      • Caroline Dufresne - intervenante CALACS, Val d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Nathalie Duhamel - Coordonnatrice RQCALACS, Montréal, PQ, Canada
      • Monique Dumais - O.S.U., Coordonnatrice pour l'association des religieuses pour les
      • Droits des femmes, ARDF
      • Claudette Dumont-Smith - Executive Director, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Lyne Duplain - Intervenante CALACS Charlevoix, Charlevoix, PQ, Canada
      • Arianne Duplessis - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Genevieve Dupuis - Travailleuse sociale CALACS de l’Outaouais, BAC en travail social, Aylmer, QC, Canada
      • Ilaria Durigon - Gruppo Femminile Plurale, Italy
      • Lotte Kristine Dysted - Praktikant hos Danners videncenter, NGO Danner, Denmark=
      • Eaves For Women, United Kingdom
      • Dele Edokpayi - Esq., Dele Edokpayi and Co Law Chambers, Benin City, Nigeria
      • F. Elodie Ekobena - Agente de pastorale sociale Villeray, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Vera Chigbufue Elue - Legal Counsel, Chicago Municipality Law Office, Chicago, United States
      • Jean Enriquez - Executive Director, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific
      • Priscilla Eppinger - Associate Professor of Religion, Chairperson of the Peace Studies Committee at Graceland University, United States
      • Carla Francesca Erie - Linguiste, Membre d'organisation féministe, Haïti
      • Professor Maria Eriksson - Professor of Social Work, School for Health, Care, and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Sweden
      • Dr. Elizabeth Evans - Lecturer in Politics, University of Bristol, UK
      • Natasha Falle - SEXTRADE101, ON, Canada
      • Danielle Fay - BAA, Thérapeute en santé globale et naturelle, St-Alfred, QC, Canada
      • Madeleine Ferland - Criminologue, Cowansville, QC, Canada
      • Elizabetta Ferrero - Turin, Italy
      • Suzanna Finley - Equality Now, New York, NY, United States
      • Mia Finn - Mother, Langley, BC, Canada
      • Jean Fong – Frontline anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief & Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Janick Fontaine - Intervenante sensibilisation, Technicienne en travail social, Thurso, QC, Canada
      • Suzanne Fortier - militante, Val d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Mireille Fortin - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Nicole Fortin - Retraitée, Charlevoix, PQ, Canada
      • Valérie Fortin - infirmière clinicienne, Brossard, QC, Canada
      • Nicole Fouché - Présidente de Réussir l'égalité femmes-hommes, Cherchs associée, CNRS, Céna-mascipo-EHESS, Paris, France
      • Isabelle Fournier – Intervenante, CALACS de Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
      • Monique Fournier - Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, QC, Canada
      • Lindsey Fox – Victoria, BC, Canada
      • Kirsty Foy - Foy Allison Law Group, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Maggie Fredette - Coordonnatrice intervention CALACS, Sherbrooke, PQ, Canada
      • Frappier, Julie - travailleuse CALACS, Val d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Lina Fucà - Turin, Italy
      • Carolyne Gagné - Professeur, Granby, QC, Canada
      • Émilie Gagnon - Infographe, Valleyfield, QC, Canada
      • Gabrielle Gagnon - Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Jocelyne Gagnon - Retraitée, Charlevoix, PQ, Canada
      • Marielle Gagnon - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Mariette Gagnon - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Michèle Garceau - Citoyenne, Lachine, QC, Canada
      • Joane Garon - Intervenante CALACS de Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
      • Elizabeth Gautchi - Med, member of University Women’s Club, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Chantal Gauthier - Auxilière aux familles à domicile, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Noga Gayle - PhD, member of University Women’s Club, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Angela Gbemisola – United Kingdom
      • Yolande Geadah - Author, Montreal, QC, Canada
      • Associate Professor Daphne Gilbert BA, LLB, LLM – University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Rosanna Giorgietti - Italy
      • Catriona Gold - Executive Member CUPE 2278, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Leah Gruenpeter Gold - PhD Philosophy Dept. Tel Aviv University, Israel
      • Tamara Gorin - Port Moody, BC, Canada
      • Samantha Grey - Front line anti-violence worker, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Associate Professor Vanessa Gruben B.Sc.H, LLB, LLM – University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Jacqueline Gullion - MA, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Irit Hakim - Safe World for Women, United Kingdom, Correspondent in Israel
      • Carol Hanisch - Editor, MeetingGroundOnLine.org, Ellenville, NY, United States
      • Hanne Helth - Board Member, Danish Women's Society, Copenhagen, Denmark
      • Terrie Hendrickson - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Mary Honeyball - Member of the European Parliament, United Kingdom
      • Donna M. Hughes - B.S., M.S., Ph.D. Professor & Carlson Endowed Chair, Gender & Women's Studies Program, University of Rhode Island, United States
      • Ghada Jabbour - KAFA (enough) Violence & Exploitation, Lebanon
      • Professor Martha Jackman - LL.B., LL.M., L.S.M. Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Lone Alice Johansen - Head of Information, The Secretariat of the Shelter Movement, Oslo, Norway
      • Hedwig Johl - NGO in special consultative status with ECOSOC, Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd
      • Guðrún Jónsdóttir - talskona Stígamóta, Stígamótum, Reykjavík, Iceland
      • Helen Kelsey - Status of Women Committee, Surrey Teachers Association, Surrey, BC, Canada
      • Hilla Kerner - Front line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Jennifer Kim - BA Philosophy, Vancouver, BC, CanadA
      • Daisy Kler - Front line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Patsy Kolesar - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Katherine B. Lawrence - J.D. Member, Board of Directors, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Jessica Lee - Front-line Crisis Worker, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Dorchen A. Leidholdt - Director, Center for Battered Women's Legal Services, Sanctuary for Families, New York
      • Marissa Lorenz - Colorado, United States
      • Laura L. Lovett - Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
      • Brenda Lucke - RN, BSN, BA, GNC(C), Langley, BC, Canada
      • Ilaria Maccaroni - Resistenza femminista, Italy
      • Ainsley MacGregor - Front-line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Grace Malkihara - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Malka Marcovich - Historian and feminist writer, International consultant, Paris, France
      • Ane Mathieson - Fulbright Fellow & Staff with the Organization for Prostitution Survivors, Seattle, Unites States
      • Philippe Mayer - Géomaticien, Montréal, PQ, Canada
      • Paola Mazzei - Resistenza femminista, Italy
      • Geraldine McCarthy - Act to Prevent Trafficking, Ireland
      • Annie McCombs – Kalamazoo, MI, United States
      • Maureen McGowan – New York, NY, United States
      • Sheila McIntyre - Retired Professor of Law, University of Ottawa; specializing in Constitutional and Human Rights Law, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Nancy J. Meyer - Hyattsville, MD, United States
      • Ashley Milbury – MA, Front line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Michelle Miller - DMin, Resist Exploitation, Embrace Dignity, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Kathy Miriam - PhD, Brooklyn, NY, United States
      • Adrienne Montani - Child Rights Advocate, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Michele Morek - PhD. UNANIMA International Inc. an ECOSOC-accredited NGO of the United Nations
      • Dr. Helen Mott - Bristol Fawcett, United Kingdom
      • Meghan Murphy - Journalist, Canada
      • Ana Maria R. Nemenzo - National Coordinator, Woman Health Philippines
      • Clare Nolan - Srs of the Good Shepherd, New York, NY, United States
      • Celia Nord - Archaeologist, Lee Creek, BC, Canada
      • Aibhlín O’Leary - Anti-Trafficking Project Coordinator Immigrant Council of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
      • Catherine Olivier - Enseignante au collegial, Montréal, PQ, Canada
      • Sonia Ossorio - President, National Organization for Women, New York, NY, United States
      • Marie-Noël Paradis - Intervenante, Québec, PQ, Canada
      • María Paredes - Student, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • So Eyun Park - BMLSc., Burnaby, BC, Canada
      • Maggie Parks - Chief Executive, Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Cornwall, UK
      • Niovi Patsicakis - B.Ed, M.Ed., Special Education Consultant, SENG-trained facilitator, Canada
      • Dr. Jenny Petrak – MSc, PsychD
      • Heidi Petrak - Msc. Nursing Professor, BC, Canada
      • Kathleen Piovesan – Ph.D. Candidate, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
      • Dianne Post - Attorney, Phoenix Women Take Back the Night, Phoenix, Arizona, United States
      • Brittney Powell - Feminist, BA, Nelson, BC, Canada
      • Dr. Helen Pringle - School of Social Sciences UNSW, Sydney, Australia
      • Chanelle Ram - Feminist nursing student, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Janice G. Raymond - Professor Emerita of Women's Studies and Medical Ethics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
      • Yasmin Rehman - Women's rights campaigner, member of the End Violence Against Women Coalition Board, UK
      • Sanda Rodgers - Emeritus Professor, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Nina Rose, MD - Vice President, Swedish Medical Women's Association, Sweden
      • Isabelle Rouillard - Intervenante, QC, Canada
      • Marion Runcie - Vancouver BC, Canada
      • Louisa Russell - Front-line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Persia Rutchinski - Sydney, Australia
      • Susanne Rutchinski - BA, graphic designer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Valentina S., - Resistenza femminista, Italy
      • Peggy Sakow - Founding Co-Chair and Member, Temple Committee Against Human
      • Trafficking, Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom, Montreal, QC, Canada
      • Julieta Montaño Salvatierra - Abogada, Directora de la Oficina Jurídica Para la Mujer
      • Yolanda Sanchez-Contreras - Communications Coordinator GSIJP Office Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd (An NGO in special consultative status with ECOSOC, UN)
      • Aida F. Santos-Maranan - President & Executive Director, Board of Trustees Consultant on Gender, Development, Human Rights, Philippines
      • Emma Scott - Director, Rights of Women, London, UK
      • Amy Sebes - Founder, Association of Albanian Girls and Women (AAGW), Albania
      • Brittney Sharma - Activist, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Idit Harel Shemesh - Machon Toda'a Awareness Center, Israel
      • Sr. Terry Shields - MSHR President, Dawn's Place, Philadelphia, United States
      • Associate Professor Penelope Simons – BA, LLB, LLM, PhD, Honours: Human Security Fellow 2002-2004 Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
      • Ann Simonton - Media Watch, United States
      • Stephanie-Grace Skrobisz - Santa Cruz, CA, United States
      • Cherry Smiley - Nlaka’pamux/Thompson and Dine’/Navajo Nations, co-founder of Indigenous Women Against the Sex Industry, BC, Canada
      • Keira Smith-Tague - Front line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Linnea W. Smith - MD, North Carolina, United States
      • Silvia Elida Ortiz Solis - Representante del Grupo Civil VI.D.A, Torreon, Mexico
      • Lisa Sparrow - Skowkale First Nation, Front-line anti-violence worker Chilliwack, BC, Canada
      • Emily Spence - BA, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Ivana Stazio – Italy
      • Lisa Steacy - BA, front-line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Terrie Strange - Organizing for Women’s Liberation, Yuma, AZ, United States
      • Katie Streibel - Transition House Worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Annie Sugier - President, Ligue du Droit International des Femmes, Paris, France
      • Eun Soon Suh - Burnaby, BC, Canada
      • Eva-Britt Svensson - former Member of the European Parliament, Sweden
      • Monina Geaga - Secretary-General, SARILAYA, Philippines
      • Jenny Geng - Burnaby, BC, Canada
      • Mylène Geoffroy - Intervenante communautaire, Saint-Jean-de-Matha, QC, Canada
      • Carol Giardina - Asst Professor, History Dept. Queens College, NY, United States
      • Lucia Giffi - Turin, Italy
      • Lise Giguère   - QC, Canada
      • Marcella Gilardoni - Gilardoni Law Offices, Turin, Italy
      • Dr. Aisha K. Gill - Reader in Criminology, University of Roehampton, UK
      • Marie-Chanel Gillier – New Delhi, India
      • Jay Ginn - Older Feminists Network, United Kingdom
      • France Giroux - Coiffeuse, Granby, QC, Canada
      • Phyllis Giroux - S.C., M.A.(J), Kelowna, BC, Canada
      • Irene  Goodwin - Director, Evidence to Action, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Sonya Grenier - intervenante CALACS, Val d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Leanore Gough - Front line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Francine Gravel - Réceptioniste à l'Infirmerie de la Maison mère des Soeurs de Miséricorde, Terrebonne, QC, Canada
      • Arlana Green - Victim Services Support worker, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Élaine Grisé - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Catherine Guay-Quirion - Étudiante universitaire à temps plein, Amos, QC, Canada
      • Julie Guibord – Intervenante, CALACS de Chateauguay, Valleyfield, QC, Canada
      • Joana Guillaume - Professeure de philosophie, Études juridiques, Membre d'organisation féministe, Haïti
      • Susanna Gulin - Finland
      • Bernadette Gullion - Educator, BC, Canada
      • Czarina M. Gutierrez - B.A., BC, Canada
      • Francine Hamel - Retraitée, Diplômes de Maîtrise en littérature et Maîtrise en éducation (counselling de carrière), QC, Canada
      • Nicole Hamel – coordonnatrice, CALACS, Lac-à-la-Tortue, PQ, Canada
      • Joyce Harris - Chair Sisters of St. Ann B. C. Social Justice Committee, BC, Canada
      • Jayme Hass - Junior Policy Analyst / Researcher, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Arnprior, ON
      • Karah Hawkins - Victim Advocate CEASE, Edmonton, AB, Canada
      • Katherine Hébert-Metthé - Consultante sur l'hypersexualisation, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Orla Hegarty – NL, Canada
      • Cathryn Henley - President, Canadian Federation of University Women Cranbrook Club, Cranbrook, BC, Canada
      • Céline Héon - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Loralie Hettler – Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Christine Honor - Australia
      • Myriam Houde - Criminologue au Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau, Gatineau, QC, Canada
      • Bernett Huang - Archival Studies, Fu Ren University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Jade Hudon - QC, Canada
      • Charlotta Huldt-Ramberg - Member of the board or the UN Women National Committee, Sweden
      • Jacqui Hunt - Equality Now, London, United Kingdom
      • Patricia Hynes - Retired Professor of Environmental Health, Boston University and Director, Traprock Center for Peace and Justice, Greenfield, MA, United States
      • Valentina Iamotti - Resistenza femminista, Italy
      • Chantal Ismé - Organisatrice communautaire à la Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Cynthia Jacques - Intervenante, Rouyn-Noranda, PQ, Canada
      • Suzanne Jay - MA, Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada
      • Patricia Jean - Linguiste, Féministe, Haïti
      • Rhéa Jean - Ph. D in Philosophy (Laval University), Postdoctoral fellow at the
      • University of Luxembourg
      • Kimberly Jerome - Bookkeeper, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Sonya Johal - BSc, Surrey, BC, Canada
      • Natasha Johnson - Graphic Designer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Valerie Judge - MBA, Management Consultant, Ireland
      • Justice for Girls, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Ludmila Karabaciska  - Étudiante à l’Université Concordia, Applied human science, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Annpôl Kassis - Paris, France
      • Soka Handinah Katjasungkana - LBH-Apik, Semarang, Indonesia
      • Ranjit Kaur - Ex Magistrate, ex-Director of Rights of Women UK, Lawyer, United Kingdom
      • Roisin Kelly - Ireland
      • Marilyn Kempf - Équipes d'Action Contre le Proxénétisme, Paris, France
      • K. Kilbride - Surrey, BC, Canada
      • Morgan King - Australia
      • Ann Kirkey – Toronto, ON, Canada
      • Antonia Kirkland - Equality Now, New York, United States
      • Dr. Renate Klien - Spinifex Press, Australia
      • Donée-Maude Kobin - Intervenante, Rouyn-Noranda, PQ, Canada
      • Donna Christie Kolkey - member of University Women’s Club, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Monica Krake - Communications Director, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Izabela Krekora - Manager of fund development, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Cathrine Linn Kristiansen – Norway
      • Leanne Kwan - PharmD, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Renée Labrie - St-Jean-de-l’île-d'Orléans, QC, Canada
      • Sophie Labrie - Intervenante sociale au CALACS, Bromont, QC, Canada
      • Maryse Lafleur - QC, Canada
      • Isabelle Lafontaine - Étudiante au doctorat en travail social à l’Université de Montréal, Auxiliaire de recherche, Intervenante à l’association des familles monoparentales et recomposées de l’Outaouais, Professeure à la cité collégiale aux programmes de techniques de travail social et d’éducation spécialisée, Gatineau, QC, Canada
      • Judy Lafontaine, intervenante, CALACS, Val d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Allison Laing - BA, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Jennifer E. Laing - RN, BScN, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Monique, S.M. Lallier - Supérieure générale de l'Institut des Soeurs de miséricorde de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Lee Lakeman - Women’s rights advocate, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Ève Lamont - Réalisatrice, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Nancy Langlois - Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Catherine Lapointe - Canada
      • Ghislaine Laporte - S.N.J.M., QC, Canada
      • Marai Larasi - MBE, M.A. Executive Director, Imkaan, UK
      • Marilyn Larocque - R.H.S.J.  Kingston, ON, Canada
      • Myriam Larocque - Intervenante, Étudiante, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Trine Porret Randahl Larsen - President, Women’s Council in Denmark (Kvinderådet)
      • Gemma Laser - Belfast, ME, United States
      • Widlande Laurol - Linguiste, Membre d'organisation féministe, Haïti
      • Claudia Lavigueur – Intervenante, CALACS de Chateauguay, Ste-Clotilde, QC, Canada
      • Marie-Josée Lavoie - Secrétaire-administratrice RQCALACS, Montréal, PQ, Canada
      • Annette Lawson - Chair, the National alliance of Women's Organizations, United Kingdom
      • M. Paule Lebel - Membre de la coordination du Québec de la marche mondiale des femmes, QC, Canada
      • Aurélie Lebrun, PhD - QC, Canada
      • Marie-Paule Lebrun - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Brigitte Lechenr - Woman, United Kingdom
      • Patricia Leclair - Militante, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Marie Lecomte - Vice President, Libres Mariannes, LMS, Member of the European Women Lobby
      • Alice Lee - Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada
      • Young Sun Lee - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Éliane Legault-Roy - Responsable des communications à la Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle, Maitrise en science politique, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Ronitin Lentin - University Professor, Ireland
      • Barbara Leon - Watsonville, CA, United States
      • Carla Lesh - Kingston, NY, United States
      • Constance Létourneau - Membre du Comité de Montréal contre la traite des personnes, QC, Canada
      • Guilaine Levesque - Coordonnatrice CALACS, Baie-Comeau, PQ, Canada
      • Lévesque, Sandra - intervenante CALACS, Val d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Jacqueline Lewis - Emergency Medical Technician & Front line crisis worker at Vancouver Rape Relief & Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Maureen Lewis – Red Deer, AB, Canada
      • Raïssa Leyan’Simbi - Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Jytte Lindgaard - Lawyer, member of The Danish National Observatory on Violence Against Women
      • Linklater, Sheila - Director of Finance, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Pak Ka Liu - Victim Services Medical Support Worker, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Josée Longchamps - Thérapeute, Tingwick, QC, Canada
      • Letizia Longo - Accountant, Turin, Italy
      • Lovely Jean Louis - Mémorante en lingUnited Statesitique et en études juridiques, Militante féministe, Haïti
      • Emma Luke - Occupational Therapist, Australia
      • Nathalie Lussier - Secrétaire-comptable, Granby, QC, Canada
      • <
      • Linda MacDonald - Persons Against NST, Canada
      • R. MacKenzie - Feminist campaigner, Scotland
      • Alison Luke - Macquarie University, Sydney,  Australia
      • Eliana Maestri - Feminist Group, Birmingham, UK
      • Dr. Arianna Maffiotti - Turin Local Health Services, Moncalieri (TO), Italy
      • Sarah M. Mah - BSc, Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada
      • Sylvie Mantha - Chef Division recherche, développement et stratégie organisationnelle du Service de police de Gatineau, Gatineau, QC, Canada
      • Maude Marcaurelle - Intervenante sociale, Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, QC, Canada
      • Berthe Marcotte - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Louise Marcotte - Survivante, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Lorna Martin - Executive Assistant, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Angela Martinez - TTS, Coordonatrice des services d’interventions du Calacs francophone d’Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Virginia Martinez - Burnaby, BC, Canada
      • Annalise Masear-Gough – Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Kristine Massey - Lecturer in Criminal Psychology, Canterbury Christchurch University, UK
      • Maureen Master - Human Rights Lawyer, United States
      • Jade Mathieu - Intervenante CALACS de Chateauguay, St-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
      • Andrea Matolcsi - Equality Now, London, UK
      • Diane Matte - Activiste féministe, Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Maria Grazia Mauti - Resistenza femminista, Italy
      • Paula May - Experte en ressources humaines, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Dr. Melanie McCarry - Guild Senior Research Fellow, Connect Centre for International Research on Gender and Harm, University of Central Lancashire, UK
      • Caitlin McKellar - Board Member, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Myriam Meilleur – Stagiaire, CALACS Chateauguay, QC, Canada
      • Chiara Melloni - Gruppo Femminile Plurale, Italy
      • Émilie Mercier-Roy - Survivante de la prostitution et co-fondatrice du Gîte L'Autre porte, Val-d'Or, QC, Canada
      • Gunhild Mewes - Germany
      • Jodie Millward - MCP, CCC, Aboriginal Family Counselor, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Suzy Mingus - Accountant, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Shiloh Minor - Teacher, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Phyllis Minsky - Teacher and Aboriginal Advocate, Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Surrey, BC, Canada
      • Rachel Moran - Founding Member of SPACE International (Survivors of Prostitution-Abuse Calling for Enlightenment), Ireland
      • Magdala Moreau - Mémorante en linguistique, Militante féministe, Haïti
      • Marthe Moreau - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Rachael Morgan – Student, Australia
      • Émilie Morin-Rivest - Intervenante à la maison d'hébergement pour elles des deux vallées, Gatineau, QC, Canada
      • Julie Charbonneau Morin - Éducatrice spécialisée, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Marcelle Morin – QC, Canada
      • Nathalie Morin - Commis comptable, Amos, QC, Canada
      • Libby Morrison - United Kingdom
      • Françoise Morvan - Vice-présidente de la Coordination française pour le lobby européen des femmes
      • Rebecca Mott - Survivor of indoor prostitution, United Kingdom
      • Jeanne Françoise Mouè - La Maison, Toronto, ON, Canada
      • Debs Munn - Refugee Settlement Worker, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Lily Munroe - Women’s rights advocate and abolitionist, Australia
      • Jeannine Nadeau - Infirmière, Ville de Québec, QC, Canada
      • Marie-Michelle Nault - Survivante, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Amy Nahwegahbow - Senior Policy Analyst/ Researcher, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON
      • Frederica Newell - Ireland
      • Donna-Marie Newfield - Therapist, Canada
      • Kendra Newman - Heiltsuk Nation, front line anti-violence worker, Burnaby, BC, Canada
      • Liette Nobert - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Jane Norlund – Norway
      • Dr. Caroline Norma - Lecturer in Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Australia
      • Ana Novakovic – Front-line anti-violence worker, Vancouver Rape Relief & Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Zdenka Novakovic - Burnaby, BC, Canada
      • Daniella Nunes-Taveira - Intervenante à la maison d'amitié - télécommunications à l'hôpital d'Ottawa, Technique de réadaptation et de justice pénale et présentement à l'université en criminologie, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Dr. Monica O'Connor - Independent Researcher, Ireland
      • Maura O’Donohue - Doctor, Ireland
      • Katrin Öberg - Sweden
      • Lis Ehmer Olesen - Board member of the Women’s Council and The Danish National Observatory on Violence Against Women, Denmark
      • Maren Ollman - Turin, Italy
      • Kajsa Olsson – Sweden
      • Alina Olszewska - Turin, Italy
      • Blessing Osatohanmwen - Turin, Italy
      • Oti Anukpe Ovrawah - Director, Nigerian Human Rights Commission, Abuja, Nigeria
      • Angel Love Owens – Perth, Australia
      • Geneviève Pagé - Phd, Professeure de science politique à l’UQAM, Montréal, QC,   Canada
      • Karina Painchaud - QC, Canada
      • Celeste Pang - Freelance Bookkeeper, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Monique Paradis - Enseignante retraitée, QC, Canada
      • Giulia Parm - Turin, Italy
      • Carla Pastorino - Genova, Italy
      • Kim Pate – Executive Director, Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Yolaine Paul - Responsable de bibliothèque, Études administratives et comptable, Membre d'organisation féministe, Haïti
      • Sokie Paulin - Glendale, CA, United States
      • Françoise Pellerin - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Gisèle Pellerin - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Céline Pelletier - Maison Interlude, Hawkesbury, ON, Canada
      • Lise Perras - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Julie-Anne Perrault - Féministe, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Nathalie Perreault - Travailleuse culturelle et féministe (abolitionniste), Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Bridget Perrier - SexTrade101, ON, Canada
      • Marisa Perrone - Turin, Italy
      • Gaëtane Pharand - Centre Victoria, Sudbury, ON, Canada
      • Jacqueline Picard – QC, Canada
      • Stéphanie Picard - Intervenante, Rouyn-Noranda, PQ, Canada
      • Elizabeth A. Pickett - LL.M, ON, Canada
      • Ellen Pilcher – Activist & Writer, United Kingdom
      • Candice Pilgrim – Lawyer, Belleville, ON, Canada
      • Maudy Piot - Présidente de l'Association Femmes Pour le Dire, Femmes pour Agir, France
      • Marie-Christine Plante - Ph.D. candidate sociology, UQAM, Montreal, QC, Canada
      • Anne Plourde - Doctorante en science politique UQAM, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, PQ, Canada
      • Monique Potin - Bibliothécaire et féministe, Val-d’Or, QC, Canada
      • Claudette Poupart - Retraitée, Boucherville, PQ, Canada
      • Jalysha Pratap – Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Colette Price - Midwife, Feminist, NY, United States
      • Claudia Quendo - Turin, Italy
      • Marielle Quenneville - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Suzanne Quinn - Réseau femmes sud-ouest, Sarnia, ON, Canada
      • Claudia Ramirez - Bénévole GAP, Chateauguay, QC, Canada
      • Sandra Ramos - Founder/Executive Director, Strengthen Our Sisters, Shelter and Advocacy for homeless/battered women and children, NJ, United States
      • Natalie Ranspot - BA, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Jody Raphael - Visiting Professor of Law, Depaul University, United States
      • Anne Rasmussen - LivaRehab, Denmark
      • Christelle Raspolini - Présidente du comité Ni putes ni soumises de Guadeloupe, Le gosier, Guadeloupe
      • Anyta Raymond - Reviseur, Cowansville, QC, Canada
      • Anber Raz - Equality Now, London, UK
      • Sarah Mélodie Razafintsehere - Bénévole GAP, Chateauguay, QC, Canada
      • Jennifer Reed - Rain and Thunder Collective, MA, United States
      • Stephanie Reifferscheid - BA, Women’s Advocate and counselor for more than 25 years, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Jennifer Remnant – United Kingdom
      • Sandrine Ricci - Phd Student and Assistant professor (UQAM), Montréal, PQ, Canada
      • Hélène Richard - Intervenante auprès des femmes, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Mylène Richer - Éducatrice en garderie, Beauharnois, QC, Canada
      • Jenny Rickmann - Nurse, Germany
      • Chantelle Rideout - MFA University of New Brunswick, Halifax, NS, Canada
      • Nella Righetti - Turin, Italy
      • Cossette Rivera - Equality Now, New York, United States
      • Haile Rivera - New York, United States
      • Chantal Robitaille - Intervenante CALACS Chateauguay, Beauharnois, QC, Canada
      • Eleanor Roffman - Ed.D. Professor and Director of Field Training, Division of Counseling and Psychology, Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences, Lesley University, MA, United States
      • Caitlin Roper - WA State Coordinator, Collective Shout, Australia
      • Carissa Ropponen - BA, Executive and Development Assistant, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Garine Roubinian - Rain and Thunder Collective, MA, United States
      • Nayiree Roubinian - Rain and Thunder Collective, MA, United States
      • Justine Rouse-Lamarre - Étudiante à la maîtrise en histoire à l'UQAM, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
      • Gerardine Rowley – Ruhama, Ireland
      • Lorraine Roy - Militante et survivante de la prostitution, St-Jérôme, QC, Canada
      • Michèle Roy - Organisatrice communautaire, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Sylvie Roy - Désigner, St-Pie, QC, Canada
      • Rita Ruel - Enseignante retraitée, QC, Canada
      • Assistant Professor Rakhi Ruparelia B.Sc., B.S.W., LL.B.  M.S.W., LL.M. – University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Dr. Emma Rush - Lecturer in Ethics and Philosophy, Charles Stuart University, Australia
      • Roweena Russell – United Kingdom
      • Marie-Claude Saindon - Intervenante CALACS de Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
      • Anaïs Salamon - Bibliothécaire en chef bibliothèque d'études islamiques de l’Université McGill, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Roberta Salper - Resident Scholar, Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University Boston, MA, United States
      • Myles Sanchez - President, Bagong Kamalayan Prostitution Survivors' Collective, Manila, Philippines
      • Mélanie Sarroino - LL.M., Agente de liaison et de promotion RQCALACS (Regroupement québécois des centres d’aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel), Montréal, PQ, Canada
      • Jeanne Sarson - Persons Against Non-State Torture, Canada
      • Katharina Sass - Norway
      • Kathryn Scarbrough - PhD, East Brunswick, NJ, United States
      • Sarah Schwartz - United States
      • Karen Segal - B.A, JD candidate 2014, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Solveig Senft - Abolitionist, Member of Terre des Femmes, Germany
      • Jonnie Sharp – NC, United States
      • Carole Shea - Militante, Rawdon, QC, Canada
      • Professor Elizabeth Sheehy - LLB, LLM, LLD (Hons LSUC), 2014 Recipient of the CBA Ramon Hnatyshyn Award for Law
      • Victoria Sherman - Italy
      • Maire Ni Shuilleabhain - Support worker with women affected by prostitution and THB, Ireland
      • Linda Shuto - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Christiane Sibillotte - Comité justice sociale des soeurs auxiliatrices, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Rachèle Simard - Artiste, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Indrani Sinha - Executive Director, Sanlaap, India
      • Georgette Sirois - Infirmière retraitée, Ville de Québec, QC, Canada
      • Chris Sitka – Australia
      • Shannon Slight – Tasmania, Australia
      • Betty M. Smith - Camden, ME, United States
      • Peggy R. Smith - Lincolnville, ME, United States
      • Joan Smurthwaite - Catholic Women's League WA, Australia
      • Mudahogora Solange - Maitrise en sociologie avec spécialisation en études des femmes de l'université d'Ottawa, Représentante de Femmes action en région métropolitaine de Halifax, NS, Canada
      • Carole Anne Soong - University Women’s Club, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Terre Spencer - United States
      • Anne-Marie Spera - Travaillese Sociale, Gatineau, QC, Canada
      • Nadine Spuls - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Michèle St-Amand - Sexologue et psychothérapeute, Laval, QC, Canada
      • Johanne St-Amour - Féministe, QC, Canada
      • Ginette St-Jean - Val Joli, QC, Canada
      • Professor Joanne St. Lewis BA, LLB - University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ONCanada
      • Cornelia Sternberg - Germany
      • Holly Stevens – Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Hanne Storset - Analyzer, Social Sciences, Norway
      • Johanna Strand - Teacher and feminist, Norway
      • Emily Streibel - Raymond, AB, Canada
      • Eva  Streibel - Raymond, AB, Canada
      • Agnete Strøm - The Women’s Front of Norway, Bergen, Norway
      • Leah Strudwick – Student, Toronto, ON, Canada
      • Amanda Sullivan - Equality Now, New York, United States
      • Doris Sullivan - Militante abolitionniste, Rawdon, QC, Canada
      • Rose Sullivan - Militante et survivante de la prostitution, Rawdon, QC, Canada
      • Elsie Suréna - Intervenante dans le domaine de la violence contre les femmes, Toronto, ON, Canada
      • Jacqueline Sutton - BA, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Fumi Suzuki - Executive Director, Space Allies, Japan
      • Hélène Sylvain - Conseillère pédagogique, St-Jérome, QC, Canada
      • Geneviève Szczepanik - Ph.d., Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Carolina Tafuri - Italy
      • Mairead Tagg - Clinical Psychologist and specialist in gender based violence, Scotland
      • Julie Talbot - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Elsie Tan - MSN, member of University Women’s Club, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Emilia Tedesco - Turin, Italy
      • Karin Temerpley – Melbourne, Australia
      • Danièle Tessier - Sociologue, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Randi Theil - Head of Secretariat, Women’s Council in Denmark (Kvinderådet)
      • Maj Britt Theorin - F. member of European Parliament and chairwomen of the Committee of Women’s Right and Equality
      • Carole Thériault - Intervenante sociale au CALACS, St-Alphonse, QC, Canada
      • Mélanie Thétrault - Intervenante, Granby, QC, Canada
      • Joan Thomas - RN, PhD, Memphis, Tennessee, United States
      • Nia Thomas - Artist, London, United Kingdom
      • Irene Tsepnopoulos-Elhaimer - Executive Director, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Gale Tyler - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Nicolien Van Luijk - MA, PhD (c), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Toni Van Pelt - Public Policy Director, Institute for Science and Human Values, Inc. FL, United States
      • Megan Watt - Leduc, AB, Canada
      • Karin Werkman - Researcher, the Netherlands
      • Chloe Westlake - BA, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
      • Dr. Rebecca Whisnant - Director of Women's and Gender Studies, University of Dayton, United States
      • Margareta Winberg - Former deputy prime minister and minister for gender equality, Sweden
      • Crystal Wong – Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada
      • Jodie Woodward - Head of Operations, Nia Ending Violence, UK
      • Linda Thompson - Women's Support Project, Scotland
      • Virginie Tiberghien - Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Yvonne Tierney – ON, Canada
      • Léa Trahan - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Alice Tremblay - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Karine Tremblay - Agente de liaison RQCALACS, Montréal, PQ, Canada
      • Dr. Jill Trenholm - Lecturer/researcher, Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Sweden
      • Rita Trottier - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Ada Tsang - BSW, Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada
      • Louise Turmel - Enseignante retraitée, Ville de Québec, QC, Canada
      • Jane Turner - Teacher, Burnaby, BC, Canada
      • Anna Ulatowshki - Germany
      • Sara Ungar – ON, Canada
      • Nordic Model Advocates, United Kingdom
      • Adina Ungureanu - Ville Saint-Laurent, QC, Canada
      • Helen Uwangue - Benin City, Nigeria
      • France Vallières - Retraitée, Rive Sud, QC, Canada
      • Sylvie Van Brabant - Cinéaste, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Claudette Vandal - Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Helen Vasa - Registered Clinical Counsellor, Canada
      • Roberta Veenstra - Engaged Citizen, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
      • Marie Hélène Veillette - Conseillère en rééducation, Granby, QC, Canada
      • Sue Veneer - United Kingdom
      • Michèle Vianès - Présidente de regards de femmes, Lyon, France
      • Marilou Vidal - Bénévole GAP, Mercier, QC, Canada
      • Monique Vigneault - Retraitée, Amos, QC, Canada
      • Jeanne Villeneuve - Directrice des institutions patrimoniales Blueland, Conseillère de quartier mairie du 7° arrondissement de Paris, Présidente de l’Association quartier Breteuil de Paris, France
      • Ariane Vinet-Bonin - Étudiante à la maîtrise en service social à l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Dr. Judith Walker - Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Megan Walker - Executive Director, London Abused Women's Centre, London, ON, Canada
      • Zuilmah Wallis - Ireland
      • Dr. Renate Walther - Germany
      • Pei-Ju Wang - Asian Women Coalition Ending Prostitution, Canada
      • Claire Warmels - Étudiante en philosophie à Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Simone Watso - Exited survivor, Australia
      • Maureen Watt - Citoyenne, St-Lin-Laurentides, QC, Canada
      • Morgan Westcott – Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Vicki Wharton - Antipornculture, United Kingdom
      • Cindy Wilkinson – ON, Canada
      • Jeri Williams - Survivor 2 Survivor, Portland, OR, United States
      • Jacqueline Wilson - Businesswoman and Philanthropist, Board Chair, Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Ursula Wojciechowski - Translator, Germany
      • Elizabeth Wolber – Teacher at Fraser Heights Secondary School, Collective member with Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Angela Wong - Edmonton, AB, Canada
      • Maria Wong - Front line anti-violence worker Vancouver Rape Relief & Women’s Shelter, BC, Canada
      • Corey Lee Wrenn – founder Vegan Feminist Network, United States
      • Pauline Yargeau - Administratrice d’un centre d’aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel, Amos, QC, Canada
      • Elisabeth Zadnick – QC, Canada
      • Kerstin Zander - Re-Empowerment e.V., Deutschland
      • Clorinde Zephir - Professeure de littérature française, Directrice d'organisation féministe, Haïti

      Men in support of the letter

      • Brian Africa – Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Dr. Ifode Ajari - Medical doctor, United States
      • Iroro Ajari - Nigeria
      • Obuks Ajari - Lagos, Nigeria
      • Kevin Ault - High School Teacher, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Louis Bélisle - Consultant en développement organisationnel, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Alain Benoit - Travailleur du réseau de la santé, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Bert Bjarland - Vice President, Profeministmiehet, Finland
      • Didier Bois - Enseignant, Paris, France
      • Andrew Bomberry - Policy Analyst/ Researcher, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Paolo Botti - Executive Director, Associazione Amici di Lazzaro, Italy
      • Dr. Christoph Brake – Germany
      • Dr. Robert Brannon, Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College CUNY.
      • National Chairperson, NOMAS Task Group on Pornography, Prostitution, and Sex-Trafficking
      • Mordecai Briemberg - Member of StopWar.ca, retired College Instructor, Burnaby, BC, Canada
      • Stan Burditt - Founder, MAST-Men Against Sexual Trafficking, Canada
      • Giorgio Carpita - Italy
      • Denis Carrier - QC, Canada
      • Philippe Fortier Charette - Travailleur, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
      • Mathieu Charland-Faucher - Organisateur communautaire, Granby, QC, Canada
      • Gagan Chhabra - Student, Norway
      • Alex Coles - BFA Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
      • Guillaume Danis - Militant, Saint-Lin, QC, Canada
      • James Darbouze - Enseignant-chercheur, Militant syndical, Port-au-Prince, Haïti
      • Jhonson Desir - Linguiste, Membre d'organisation féministe, Haïti
      • Timothy Dickau - DMin, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Martin Dufresne - Journalist, Le COUAC, Canada
      • Paul Eid - Professeur au Département de sociologie de l’UQAM, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Pius Elue - Chicago, IL, United States
      • Renel Exentus - Militant Assumer Ayiti, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Marco Fasoli - Turin, Italy
      • Professor Gene Feder - Professor of Primary Health Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK
      • Professor Bruce Feldthusen - former Dean, BA Queen’s, JD Michigan, LLB Western and LLM Michigan
      • Antonio Chiadò Fiorio Tin - Mayor, Massello Municipality, Province of Turin, Italy
      • Joshua Flavell - Sydney, Australia
      • Nicolas Flechier - Travailleur social, Membre d'organisation féministe, Haïti
      • Matt Fodor – ON, Canada
      • Daniele Gaglianone - Film Producer, Turin, Italy
      • Adam Gagnon - Militant, Beauharnois, QC, Canada
      • Martin Gallié - Professeur de droit à l’Université du Québec à Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Gabriel Garcia - Comptable, Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, QC, Canada
      • Claude Gendron - Retraité, Responsable des achats à la maison mère des Soeurs de miséricorde, Brossard, QC, Canada
      • Ioan Gi-Kwong - Étudiant, Bromont, QC, Canada
      • Massimo Gianasso - Turin Municipality Police Force, Turin, Italy
      • Maurizio Gili - Accountant, Senior Partner, Maurizio Gili & Co, Turin, Italy
      • Azlan Graves - LPN/Outreach nurse, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Chris Green - Director White Ribbon Campaign, UK
      • Michael Horowitz - CEO, 21 Century Initiatives, Principal Author of the US Trafficking Victims
      • Protection Act
      • Benedict Hynes - PhD candidate, Simon Fraser University, BC, Canada
      • Biko Ismé-René - Étudiant, Artiste, Travailleur, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Dr. Robert Jensen - University of Texas at Austin, Texas, United States
      • Thomas H. Kemsley - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Edoardo Kibongui - Italian Baptist Union of Churches, Turin, Italy
      • Anton Klepke - Sweden
      • Claude Labrecque - QC, Canada
      • Benjamin Lach – Germany
      • Marie-Thérèse Lacourse – QC, Canada
      • Matthew K. Laing - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Michael Laxer - Toronto City Council Candidate-Ward 6, Toronto, ON, Canada
      • Gabriel Legault - Mi-retraité service quincaillerie et ami dans la fam. Int. De la miséricorde, Lachine, QC, Canada
      • Gabriele Lenzi - Resistenza femminista, Italy
      • David Lohan - Co-Author "Open Secrets: An Irish Perspective on Trafficking & Witchcraft", Ireland
      • Oscar Sanchez Viesca Lopez - Miembro activo del grupo civil VI.D.A y amnrdac, Torreon, Mexico
      • Eli Mack-Hardiman – NY, United States
      • Claudio Magnabosco - Director and co-founder, Associazione Ragazze di Benin City, Italy
      • Guy Malette - Responsable des Achats et de la maintenance de la Maison mère des Soeurs de Miséricorde, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Pascal Marcil - Senior specialist, Bromont, QC, Canada
      • Dr. Michael Markwick - Capilano University, North Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Colin Mingus – Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Josua Mata - Secretary-General, SENTRO Labor Center, Philippines
      • Hugh McElveen - Independent Researcher, Ireland
      • David McHugh - Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Ronald Meyer - Halfmoon Bay, BC, Canada
      • Patrick Morin - Militant, Valleyfield, QC, Canada
      • Ryan Munn – Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Jonathan Nambu - Executive Director, Samaritana Transformation Ministries, Inc., Philippines
      • Michael Nestor - Australia
      • David H. Nguyen - Editor-in-Chief, Cancer InCytes Magazine, USA
      • Irwin Oostindie - Media producer, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Arinze Orakue - Director of PR, Nigerian National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Abuja, Nigeria
      • Joe Osagie - Greater London City Council, London, UK
      • Lucky Oseye - Turin, Italy
      • Simeon Pang – Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Pascale Parent - Interventante CALACS de Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
      • Dan Peters - Partnership Co-ordinator, Native Women’s Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      • Alain Philoctète - Coordonateur de programmes, Poète, Maîtrise en pratique de recherche et action publique, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Richard Poulin - Professeur émérite département de sociologie et d'anthropologie de l’Université d'Ottawa, Professeur associé à l’Institut de recherches et d'études féministes (IREF) de l’Université du
      • Québec à Montréal, Ville Mont-Royal, QC, Canada
      • Professor Keith Pringle - Professor of Sociology with a specialism in social work, Uppsala University, Sweden; Adjungeret Professor, Aalborg University, Denmark; and Honorary Professor, University of Warwick, UK
      • Fred Robert - Fondateur, Zéromacho
      • Vincent Romani - Professeur régulier, département de science politique à l’Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Marc Andris Saint Louis - Travailleur social, Membre d'organisation féministe, Haïti
      • Dario Saluz - Architect, Turin, Italy
      • Hugh Samson - B.Sc, P. Geo. Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • François Savard - Directeur de la Maison mère des Soeurs de Miséricorde, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • Philippe Scelles - Président d'honneur et vice-président de la Fondation Scelles
      • Yves Scelles - Vice-président de la Fondation Scelles, France
      • Reece K. Sellin - Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
      • Marc André Sullivan - Militant, Montréal, QC, Canada
      • François Trudel - Directeur d'entreprise Chandelles tradition, St-Constant, QC, Canada
      • Elcid Vedinel - Linguiste, Membre d'organisation féministe, Haïti
      • Ray Justin Ventura - National Chairperson, Youth and Students Advancing Gender Equality (YSAGE), Philippines
      • Max Waltman - PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, Sweden
      • Marv Wheale - Home Health Air, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Jonathan R. Wilson - Ph.D., Carey Theological College, Vancouver, BC, Canada
      • Carlo Italo Zanotti - Architect, Senior Partner, Artom & Zanotti Associati, Turin, Italy
      • David Zimmerman - GEMS Council of Daughters, National Survivor Network, Polaris Project Legislative Circle, United States of America

      Footnotes

      [1] Canada (Attorney General) v.Bedford, 2012 ONCA 186, para. 117, online at: http://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2012/2012ONCA0186.pdf

      [2] Canada (Attorney General) v. Bedford, 2013 SCC 72, para. 86, online at: http://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/13389/index.do.

      [3] Seo-Young Cho, Axel Dreher, Eric Neumayer,“Does Legalized Prostitution Increase Human Trafficking?” World Development, vol. 41, pp. 67–82, 2013.

      [4] Ministry of Justice (New Zealand), “Street-Based Workers,” Report of the Prostitution Law Review Committee on the Operation of the Prostitution Reform Act 2003, chap. 8, 2008, online at: http://www.justice.govt.nz/policy/commercial-property-and-regulatory/pro....

      [5] Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Germany), Report by the Federal Government on the Impact of the Act Regulating the Legal Situation of Prostitutes (Prostitution Act), July 2007, at 79. online at: www.mvcr.cz/soubor/05-regulating-legal-situation-of-prostitutes.aspx. See also, Ministry of Security and Justice (The Netherlands), Daalder, A.L., WODC (Research and Documentation Centre), “Conclusions,” Prostitution in the Netherlands since the lifting of the brothel ban, 2007, online at: https://english.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/1204e-engelse-vertaling-rappo....

      Comments

      18 Comments

      Now then

      Apr 24, 2014 at 7:55am

      If only the Straight did something about the ads for escorts in the adult personals.

      AKG

      Apr 24, 2014 at 8:40am

      Or we could, you know, use a sane method that accepts the fact that prostitution will never go away and recognizes that some women do, in fact, choose to enter the sex industry of their own free will. Regulate, tax and monitor, increase penalties for pimps and coercion, direct more funds towards education and support programs for women who decide to move on from prostitution. All that happens when prostitution is further criminalized is that it's driven further underground and the police vice squads get more business.

      (By the way, does anyone else find it interesting that there's never any mention in these treatises of men who prostitute themselves?)

      checking the footnote

      Apr 24, 2014 at 10:01am

      from the letter:
      "that, as the Supreme Court of Canada found in Bedford, most women cannot be said to choose prostitution,[2] and consequently, in the experience of women, any line between prostitution, trafficking and child prostitution is more artificial than real."

      checking the footnote reference [2], it (the Supreme Court) actually said:
      "First, while some prostitutes may fit the description of persons who freely choose (or at one time chose) to engage in the risky economic activity of prostitution, many prostitutes have no meaningful choice but to do so."

      the letter's writers are subtly replacing "many" with "most", yet i would hope that "many" if not "most" of these signatories would actually understand the difference, and not try to mis-paraphrase the findings of bodies like the supreme court. hopefully this example is an exception and not characteristic of how they have built their argument.

      jj

      Apr 24, 2014 at 10:36am

      there are people on both sides of this debate, not unlike abortion. Everyone considers themselves an expert and as if they know better then others. The truth is no one does. There are "experts" on both sides.

      I say lets put it to a nation wide referendum and be done with it.

      Antonio Lorusso

      Apr 24, 2014 at 12:32pm

      Making the best choice amongst limited options is something we all do, and nobody calls that "violence" when we do it, except prohibitionists about sex work. Instead we act to mitigate or prevent what real violence there is and recognise those involved in an industry as people providing a service, and not the dehumanizing mindless "bodies" that are "sold" as the prohibitionists say.

      Yes, this is about principles. Do you want the government dictating to sex workers, most of whom are women, what they can and cannot do with their own bodies for their own purposes, or interfering with those that they sell services to?

      jill

      Apr 24, 2014 at 1:55pm

      Wow, this reveals so much about these crusaders. Just a few of this letter’s many absurdities:

      “’evidence-based’ has become a smear” … no, it’s a call for integrity around evidence and arguments. Why do the authors take it as a smear?

      “We believe that prostitution constitutes violence against women” … this statement of faith is one of those things that needs to be argued and evidenced.

      “any new approach to prostitution must be set in a women’s equality framework” … another statement of faith.

      “the evidence is clear … that women enter into prostitution because of economic need and profound social disadvantage.” … now the authors are back to evidence? Surely they’ll provide evidence of how these affidavits are generalizable…

      “Most women in prostitution in Canada are there because of” … now the clear evidence applies only to “most women”…

      Yet, “These are well‑established facts. Prostitution is evidence of, and entrenches, sex, race, and class hierarchies.” … now prostitution IS the evidence, and without having offered any real evidence or argument.

      “We do not agree that prostitution is acceptable for any women” … back to an argument from faith. Prostitution is a priori unacceptable. We are to accept this without argument or evidence.

      Re legalization: “the evidence does not show that it has succeeded.” … again with the evidence, but without showing any work that supports the assertion.

      “The violence inherent in prostitution” … more faith, which does not follow from the references that precede it.

      “what is legalized and normalized is not just individual prostitution transactions, but the prostitution industry.” … another giant leap, one that overlooks that prostitution has always been legal.

      “For Canada to take this step would be both dangerous and discriminatory.” … Again, prostitution is already legal!

      “We do not accept prostitution as a solution to women’s poverty” … and neither does anyone else. Please no straw men thanks.

      Lastly, why does the letter divide “signatories” from “men in support”? What does that say about the authors position on sexist social relations? You can’t fight sexism by promoting sexism.

      This letter reveals exactly who makes up the SWERF movement in Canada, and hints at their thinking and tactics…

      The authors obviously have powerful feelings but their position is absurd, and therefore not the least bit feminist.

      Hazlit

      Apr 24, 2014 at 2:07pm

      I want to be sympathetic to the arguments of the Nordic side, but i think they have the wrong target. Prostitution happens very simply because the demand for sex is greater than the supply. I realize that the Nordic side is trying to do right and support social justice--I share their general concerns. I wish I could share their conviction that long lectures about abused women or stringent legal measures against men who are seeking sex would eliminate prostitution, but I don't think it will.

      Unfortunately there's a capitalistic and monetized relationship at the base of prostitution; it is the idea of a woman's body as property. But the Nordics, instead of attacking the property idea (e.g. capitalism is the source of women's oppression) attack its gender leanings (e.g. men are the source of women's exploitation). As a man, when I hear about the Nordic position, I am saddened, hurt, and angry.

      Just as there are some women who buy into the anti-abortion position, so there are some men who buy into the Nordic position. I would suggest that they are exactly analogous.

      Berlin

      Apr 24, 2014 at 6:26pm

      Laws don't work, never have. In Florida where it's extremely illegal for both sex worker and client, the trick simply declares "Here is a gift for you" and presents payment which avoids all prosecution if it's an undercover sting. That's how easy this illegal buying legislation can be bypassed. There's dozens of other ways, including third party payment which brings back pimps.

      Whoever drafted this letter should contact male, transgender, and female sex workers advertising in the hundreds of forums, agency sites and classifieds and ask them if they appreciate having somebody meddling with their livelihoods because "it's in their best interests".

      Harper

      Apr 24, 2014 at 6:47pm

      Since male sex workers have no mention in this letter I can build an enormous gay brothel then fight any charges trying to shut it down by using this letter of experts in court which clearly proves sex work is only harmful to women.

      alphapig

      Apr 24, 2014 at 8:17pm

      This is unfortunately quite typical of attacks by the prohibitionists on consensual adult prostitution. Lengthy screeds full of hysterical concern "for the children" and hurt feelings but short on actual statistics backing up their position with most of their so-called statistics being willfully misinterpreted or being read from studies with serious methodological issues. The vast majority of papers supporting decriminalization are more likely to be logically presented with valid statistics supporting their position.
      When bad feelz is the best evidence you can present your position must be disregarded and I am hopeful that the federal government will do the least possible damage is this situation. The ideal approach would be for the federal government to do nothing and simply let the old, flawed laws lapse but that is unlikely to be the approach of our increasingly statist society.