Anglicans protest sex-trade bill

The Rev. Bruce Bryant-Scott, on why he's opposed to Bill C-36: "Even if I don’t approve of the commodification of sex, that does not mean that I would set up the Criminal Code to condemn workers to a life of violence and potential death.”

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Originally Posted by AnglicanJournal

A group of Anglican clergy and laity have taken a stand against Bill C-36, the Conservative government’s proposed legislation whose Scandinavian model shifts the main criminal burden in prostitution from vendors to buyers. Bill C-36 proposes to decriminalize the selling of sexual services but not the buying of them. Fearing the bill will further marginalize and endanger workers by driving sex-for-hire transactions underground, some 35 Anglicans led by Victoria’s Rev. Bruce Bryant-Scott recently sent an open letter to the hearings held by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights of the House of Commons. “We were too late for the panel discussions, but the letter has been noted as part of the public record,” said Bryant-Scott, rector of St. Matthias Anglican Church, diocese of British Columbia. In the lingering shadow of Robert Pickton’s mass murders of B.C. sex workers, the signatories believe the bill will do nothing to prevent the recurrence of such a large-scale tragedy. “As a Christian, my fundamental ethic is care and concern for other persons, who are all created in the image of God,” said Bryant-Scott. “So even if I don’t approve of the commodification of sex, that does not mean that I would set up the Criminal Code to condemn workers to a life of violence and potential death.” According to Bryant-Scott, “Creating a context that criminalizes the buyer only drives the transactions further underground. In the long run, it will create greater problems for those in the sex trade.” While he would prefer to see economic enhancement ease the financial pressures that turn many individuals toward the industry, “as a Christian, I cannot stand by indifferent to what happens to them now.” He proposes that rather than laying blame, Christians engage with sex workers, following the example of Jesus in Luke 7:36–50, where he accepts the hospitality and anointing of the sinful woman (prostitute).

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link to article here: http://www.anglicanjournal.com/artic...sex-trade-bill




wow I am actually surprised by it, nicely surprised. what do you think?

Fair play to the Anglicans here and one more slap in the face for those advocating the Swedish model, which has clearly failed to do anything other than make sex workers' lives a misery and place them in danger.

More and more groups and individuals are realising that the Swedish model is an embarrassing failure. Anyone in Ireland paying attention?

No thought not.

Well done The Anglicans, once again showing you are decent Christians! But Magdellan-Ruhama here are supporting this bill because they want to get a few £s from it (they have already benefited from being given the hard earned cash confiscated from deported sex workers by the courts in cases, some sex worker protectors!), and also they see it as the start of a comeback to the old Theocratic state and perhaps most importantly they want sex workers to suffer!:mad:

The Anglicans do seen to have a sensible attitude. The Bishop of Winchester in Hampshire used to get revenue from the "stews" in Southwark in London, where the "geese" worked. And the Archbishop of Canterbury, the head honcho, in 1957 took:

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the old-fashioned view...that men have every right to a reasonable supply of prostitutes and should not in any way be restrained from resorting to them.

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Wonderful to see!

Someone who can look past their own moral objections to an issue, and put the welfare & safety of the people involved first. That is what being Christian should be about. Unfortunately, there's lots of people who claim to be Christians, but don't understand a thing about Christ's teachings. Rev Bruce Bryan-Scott, fortunately, is not one of those and I applaud him.

In his position, as he is someone who would hold some respect amongst his clergy, hopefully it will give other people the courage to speak up and stand up for sex workers. Unfortunately, any other man, as soon as they stand up for sex workers, is automatically judged as maybe being a client. That is probably not something a Reverend would be accused of (although I guess he's just as likely as any other man to be a client!)

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Originally Posted by Nicole

The Rev. Bruce Bryant-Scott, on why he's opposed to Bill C-36: "Even if I don’t approve of the commodification of sex, that does not mean that I would set up the Criminal Code to condemn workers to a life of violence and potential death.”






link to article here: http://www.anglicanjournal.com/artic...sex-trade-bill




wow I am actually surprised by it, nicely surprised. what do you think?

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Me? I am not surprised to see the Anglican Church looking to the best interests of people instead of becoming fixated on particular element of dogma.

“it wrongly conflates prostitution with sex trafficking”

“Where are the conversations with the people engaged in the sex trade”

“The current Canadian debate presents only two choices regarding prostitution: criminalization or legalization.[...]. “But there’s a third choice: decriminalization,” said Little. This makes it an activity between consenting adults, and subjects it to protective legislation such as anti-trafficking, child-protection, anti-assault and harassment laws and employment standards”

“If we permit legislation that violates the rights of one marginalized group…then it’s a short trip to violating the rights of other citizens. Who’s next—the homeless, addicts, immigrants, migrant workers?”

Progressive and thought-provoking stuff.