Submissions on the impacts of criminalization and punitive regulation of online sex work
In March 2021, the Centre for Gender & Sexual Health Equity and West Coast LEAF made a submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, urging against more punitive restrictions of online sex work and pornography, and calling for policy informed by meaningful consultation with sex workers.
The harms of non-consensual sexual content online are profound. As sex workers are experts in navigating consent, they must be included in policy deliberations about this vital issue.
Research demonstrates that punitive restrictions on sex work undermine occupational health and safety for sex workers and do not effectively target sexual violence or trafficking.