In Out of the Rain CBC

The documentary, In out of the Rain aired on CBC's Sunday Edition on April 20th. It features the controversial proposal to open a co-op brothel in Victoria BC. The podcast can be heard here (http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/listen.html).

RESPONSES:

"I am dismayed that Victoria’s proposed coop brothel has been presented as a solution for for the suffering and addicted women prostituting on the city’s streets. Patterson has clearly stated that these women will not be welcome to work at the brothel and we are asked to be satiated by the hope that the proceeds of the brothel will go towards services for these marginalized women.

The real irony is that where brothels have been normalized the world over, street prostitution and its associated dangers have grown exponentially alongside flourishing brothels. Societal acceptance of renting women's bodies for the sexual gratification of men does nothing to benefit our most vulnerable women. In fact, it precludes that there will always be a class of women available to serve men, and, as demonstrated by Karen Well’s documentary, these women are typically those who are economically desperate.

We must stop using the plight of these women as a sales tool to justify brothels and start addressing the systemic issues that cause the poverty and desperation that drive women to sell themselves for money.

While I am concerned for the safety of women currently prostituting themselves, I cannot condone decriminalized brothels because their acceptance in other countries has perpetuated street prostitution, trafficking in women, child prostitution and violence.

In Out of the Rain disturbingly made emotional appeals for women endangered by prostitution and addiction--even murdered women--while promoting a plan that stands to benefit johns, pimps and traffickers but doesn’t protect these vulnerable women."

Krista Bones
Vancouver BC