I just got off the phone with a reporter who is writing an article on the decriminalization of prostitution and wanted my opinion on how decriminalizing prostitution (completely removing the prostitution laws from the criminal code), would affect child prostitution – or more specifically if it would increase it. From the tone of her voice I could already tell that she had formed her own opinion about it and was standing by it, so before I answered the question I admitted to her that I myself had been a child prostitute (that seemed to perk her up as I don’t believe she had over spoken to one before), and that neither I, nor my colleagues, condone child prostitution. I then answered her question by telling her no I do not believe decriminalizing prostitution would lead to an increase in child prostitution.

I can understand why she would think that it would as it’s an inaccurate statement used by feminists with an anti-prostitution agenda to scare the public away from supporting any measures that would improve the lives, rights and working conditions of people working in the sex industry.  And with Canada’s age of consent at 14 (although there’s a proposal to raise the age to 16 it hasn’t been implemented yet), it’s easy to see how someone would jump to the conclusion that the decriminalizing of prostitution would lead to an increase of child prostitution.  But the fact of the matter is that Canada already has laws that restrict people under the age of 18 from working in the adult entertainment industry—regardless of the age of consent laws. And for people who don’t already know, being a prostitute is already legal (it’s the act of practicing that isn’t) and the age is already set at 18, nobody wants to change that.

Decriminalization of prostitution would actually help to decrease child prostitution by freeing up police resources and law enforcement personnel that usually go after adult prostitution (like VICE Unit), and instead would be better used in the Child Exploitation Unit arresting men that prey on children.  “But what about all those places with legalized prostitution who report high rates of arrests of men involved in child prostitution?” The reporter asked me to which I responded, “Decriminalization or legalization would not abolish child prostitution. Countries with criminalization often have the highest number of people involved in prostitution but, countries with legalization or decriminalization often have high arrest rates. That’s because brothels have to be licensed by the city (which it would be here if we decriminalized), meaning that government officials pay unscheduled visits to brothels to ensure that everyone is of age (just like they do here in strip clubs), with prostitution out in the open it will be harder to keep child prostitution hidden – and I think the arrest rate of child predators in legalized or decriminalized systems prove that, for the only thing worse than a convicted pedophile is one that hasn’t been caught yet.

With that being said, I think it’s time for people to stop white-washing child prostitutes problems with prostitution and instead focus on what got that child to begin prostituting in the first place (which could include child abuse, homelessness, poverty) for unless we address the root causes we are helpless. The government also needs to take some responsibility for the rate of child prostitutes in Canada as numerous Canadian studies have shown that an estimated 50% of children involved in the sex industry have also been involved with Children’s Aids Society (CAS). The high rate of CAS kids involved in prostitution is partially due to government cut-backs to CAS. Due to funding shortages CAS rarely keeps a child after the age of 16 – which is the legal age for a child to live on their own in Canada—(I got “aged out” at 15 due to a CAS error), resulting in these children being “aged out” of the system prematurely, which can lead these kids on a path to poverty, homelessness and prostitution. If the government really cared about decreasing child prostitution they would increase CAS funding to ensure that these kids can stay in care until they are 18 or 21 if they go to post-secondary school (those are already the rules, CAS just doesn’t have the funding to do it).  That would be a lot more than what the government is doing now which is just putting up poster that says, “No, 13 year old dreams of being a prostitute, many dream of getting out” – maybe the government should stop allowing these children to just dream of getting out and actually do something.

Shit. I wrote a lot. I’m done ranting now.