Department of Justice

FEDERAL/PROVINCIAL/TERRITORIAL
WORKING GROUP ON PROSTITUTION REPORT

OTTAWA, December 15, 1998 - On behalf of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Working Group on Prostitution, the Department of Justice today released a report entitled Report and Recommendations in respect of Legislation, Policy and Practices Concerning Prostitution-Related Activities.

The Working Group was established in 1992 by the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Deputy Ministers Responsible for Justice. Its mandate was to review legislation, policy and practices concerning prostitution-related activities and to provide recommendations.

In October 1995, the Working Group issued an interim report on consultations, which led to important federal law reform in the context of Bill C-27 and later Bill C-51. These reforms are aimed to protect youth from adult predators who seek children for sexual services or exploit youth involved in prostitution for economic gain. New measures included tougher sentences for those who use violence to force children into prostitution for profit and provisions to make it easier for child victims to testify against their exploiters. The reforms also make it easier to successfully prosecute adult predators by facilitating the use of police decoys and allow police to use electronic surveillance when investigating prostitution-related cases.

Following its interim report, the Working Group continued its work and while it was not able to achieve consensus on some complex issues, it did reach agreement on a number of important ones. For example, a clear consensus has emerged that the response to the involvement of youth in prostitution should include support for these youth and should address the issue from the perspective of the victimization of youth.

The final report is intended to facilitate discussion and increase understanding of these issues by providing more information about the complex problem itself and the factors that cause prostitution, as well as the best approaches to reducing prostitution.

The report underscores that criminal law reform alone is not enough to prevent or address this offence or its underlying causes. Creative partnerships involving communities, institutions, health and education agencies and the different levels of government are needed to address these broader issues.

This report and its recommendations reflect the views of the officials who were on the Working Group. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the federal, provincial and territorial Ministers or governments.

To obtain a copy of the report, please call (613) 957-9606.

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Ref.:     Richard G. Mosley
          Criminal Policy
          (613) 957-4725