Supreme Court Rules Sex Workers Can Challenge Law

Photo by Sergio Uceda

Toronto Star | The Supreme Court of Canada unanimously upheld an appeal by Vancouver’s downtown eastside Sex Workers United Against Violence Society, an association of current and former prostitutes who want to decriminalize prostitution.

The ruling means is will likely be easier for Canadian laws to be put to a constitutional test. According to the Star, it gives a broad interpretation to the notion of who may be granted “public interest standing” to launch challenges.

The federal government was fighting the sex workers’ challenge arguing the neither the lead plaintiff, Sheryl Kiselbach, a former prostitute, nor SWUAV were at current risk of being charged with a prostitution offence.
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