Introduction
the government is at the forefront of fighting against prostitution without understanding the reasons that motivate citizens to engage in prostitution
Authors thesis : the C-36 bill introduced by the government is aimed exploiting prostitutes
Prostitutes are prone to human trafficking and violence from customers which necessitates the introduction of the C-36 bill; The government is committed to the elimination of sexual adverts that target school going children and the larger society; each society has moral values; human rights violation such as human trafficking and violence affects prostitutes; and that the essence of legislation is to protect the vulnerable groups against prostitution
Body of the Essay
1. 1st argument: government of Canada is in the forefront of fighting against prostitution
2. Criticism: The government has criminalized advertisement of sex. Criminalization of advertisement services is a correct intervention measure from the government. Potter should understand that Canadian society, especially the vulnerable, such as children should be protected against sex adverts
3. Authors Possible defence: Criminalizing those who buy sex means that the government has no understanding that sex is a source of income to prostitutes in Canada
4. Your rebuttal to author’s possible defence: advertisement of sex should not be allowed in the society so that children and the youth are not motivated to engage in prostitution.
2nd argument: the essence of legislation, C-36, is to introduce conditions that do not motivate the entry of several Canadian citizens into prostitution
Criticism: there is the need to protect vulnerable groups such as school going children and the youth
Authors’ possible defense: The real reasons that motivate a person to engage in sex such as a source of income have not been considered. The government does not consider prostitution as a profession
3rd argument: the Canadian government abhors civil rights of sex workers. The government argues that the morality status of Canada is at stake when prostitution is allowed to thrive
Criticism: Violence against prostitutes, as well as exploitations from customers and other criminal groups are factors that should be considered by Potter and other persons against the C-36 law
4th argument: prostitution is a moral practice since the view government prostitution as immoral. Viewing prostitution as immoral does not mean that the government adopts a negative attitude towards prostitution.
Criticism: A prostitute is an adult who has already made their choice in life; their choices should not be allowed to affect the choices of the younger generation in school. Potter should not present the argument about values.
5th argument: the safety of the sex trade is not based on the nature of the trade
Criticism: prostitution motivates violence against prostitutes and human trafficking offenses. The law as established by the government ensures that procurement of a person for the purpose of prostitution does not become part of Canadian society.
Passage Analysis Worksheet
Express the main argument in diagram and/or standard form:
The main arguments are;
The role of the government in prostitution
Essence of legislation (the C-36 bill)
Civil rights
Relationship between morality
Prostitution and safety of the sex trade.
Evaluating Major Claims (Main Argument) – Take the major claims and evaluate them for their relevance, acceptability, and sufficiency. If major claims (conclusions from sub-arguments) are not acceptable, give reasons.
Claim #1: The government is in the forefront against prostitution in the country
Relevance: Criminalizing those who buy sex means that the government has no understanding that sex is a source of income to prostitutes in Canada. Criminalizing a person who buys sex would mean that prostitutes can engage in prostitution without seeking for payment
Acceptability:
Criminalization of advertisement services is a correct intervention measure from the government. Potter should understand that Canadian society, especially the vulnerable, such as children should be protected against sex adverts.
Claim#2: The Civil rights of sex workers are abhorred by the Canadian Government.
Relevance:
The law outlaws any sexual sale in the school playground or day-care center. The motive of the government is to consider vulnerable groups such as orphans and school going children who can be motivated by advertisements or monetary rewards that arise from prostitution
Acceptability:
Potter's claim on civil rights may not be true. In particular, there are risks associated with prostitution. Violence against prostitutes, as well as exploitations from customers and other criminal groups are factors that should be considered by Potter and other persons against the C-36 law.
Claim#3: The essence of legislation, C-36, is to introduce conditions that do not motivate the entry of several Canadian citizens into prostitution.
Relevance: The argument is irrelevant since there is the need to protect vulnerable groups such as school going children and the youth. When the constitution allows prostitution, the government should provide conditions so that each person in the society makes informed choices based on consequences of prostitution. Potter is right to argue that values and morals of the society are not universal.
Acceptability: The real reasons that motivate a person to engage in sex such as a source of income have not been considered. The government does not consider prostitution as a profession. Prostitutes have no other motivation to provide sexual services other than for financial or material gifts
Claim#4: The government views prostitution as immoral
Relevance: the irrelevance of the claim is based on the fact that the larger society should be protected against activities of sexual workers which may be a nuisance to the public. What is evident, even Potter can agree, is that the society has morals. No society can expose children and other vulnerable groups to sex adverts.
Acceptability: Potter should not present the argument about values. The reason prostitution is viewed to be immoral is based on the consequences to children as well as other members of the society.
Claim#5: The safety of the sex trade is not based on the nature of the trade
Relevance: The argument that the government should be concerned with problems facing prostitution and the actions implemented is evident through the C-36 bill. Potter does not understand the relationship between the crime against prostitutes as well as human trafficking offenses
Acceptability: Prostitutes experience violence from customers. Potter should understand that the C-36 bill ensures that the concept of a ‘weapon’ is understood about prostitution
Sufficiency:
The only claim relevant in the discussion is claim # 1. The only negative aspect of the C-36 law involves the criminalizing sale of the body as well as communicating sexual information. Claims concerning civil rights, moral values, the safety of prostitutes, and the essence of legislation should be understood in relation to the need to protect vulnerable members of the society such as children. Prostitution also leads to human trafficking offenses.
The role of the government in prostitution
Support to the claim that the government is against prostitution though criminalization of payment
Essence of legislation (the C-36 bill)
Restricting influence of prostitutes on children and the rest of the society
Protect vulnerable groups
Lack of consideration to economic reasons for prostitution
Civil rights
Civil rights should be viewed in relation to school going children
Prevent human trafficking and violence against prostitutes
Relationship between moralities
Society has moral, children must be protected against influence by prostitutes
Prostitution is immoral
Prostitution and safety of the sex trade
The need to curb crime against prostitutes
Prohibit mass procurement of prostitutes
Violence against prostitutes should be eliminated
Introduction
The Canadian government introduced the C-36 bill with an aim to discourage Canadian citizens from engaging in prostitution. However, the C-36 law is viewed by several critics as an attempt by the government to prohibit prostitution. Through the C-36 bill, critics argue that the government is at the forefront of fighting against prostitution without understanding the reasons that motivate citizens to engage in prostitution. Potter in the paper “Tories ‘moral stand puts prostitutes in danger”, argues that the C-36 bill introduced by the government is aimed exploiting prostitutes. Also, Porter argues that since moral values are controversial, prostitutes should be allowed to advertise their services to the general public. Potter’s thesis is chosen for critical analysis because it contains several arguments that should be challenged. Arguments that are false relate to the safety of sex trade, civil rights, moral values, and essence of legislation C-36. The paper argues that prostitutes are prone to human trafficking and violence from customers, which necessitates the introduction of the C-36 bill. The government is committed to the elimination of sexual adverts that target school going children and the larger society; each society has moral values; human rights violations such as human trafficking and violence affects prostitutes; and that the essence of legislation is to protect the vulnerable groups against prostitution. My argument for this critical analysis paper is that the author fails to present a cogent argument thereby leading to illogical fallacies. The role of the government in prostitution
A major claim in the article by Potter is that the government of Canada is in the forefront of fighting against prostitution. Potter argues that the government is committed to creating regulations that make it impossible for prostitutes to engage in their activities. For example, the government through legislation has introduced a clause that bans the sale of sex or commercialization of sex. It is evident that the government does not understand the motive for prostitution. Criminalizing those who buy sex means that the government has no understanding that sex is a source of income to prostitutes in Canada. Criminalizing a person who buys sex would mean that prostitutes can engage in prostitution without seeking for payment. In the end, prostitution would not make any meaning. Prostitutes would be less motivated to offer services because they cannot ask for payment.
The government has criminalized advertisement of sex. Criminalization of advertisement services is a correct intervention measure from the government. Potter should understand that Canadian society, especially the vulnerable, such as children should be protected against sex adverts. Even when the definition of morality is controversial, advertisement of sex should not be allowed in the society so that children and the youth are not motivated to engage in prostitution.
Essence of legislation (the C-36 bill)
Potter makes the claim that the essence of legislation, C-36, is to introduce conditions that do not motivate the entry of several Canadian citizens into prostitution. In particular, the government’s principal aim is to discourage citizens from engaging in prostitution. Unfavourable conditions that have been created by the government involve the prohibition of any attempt to purchase sexual services or communicating for the purpose of seeking sexual purpose. In addition, the government prohibits issuance of gifts for the benefit of prostitution.
Potter's arguments that the essence of the C-36 bill is to prohibit prostitution can be substantiated. The real reasons that motivate a person to engage in sex such as a source of income have not been considered. The government does not consider prostitution as a profession. Prostitutes have no other motivation to provide sexual services other than for financial or material gifts. The motive of the government is to create a condition where prostitutes cannot benefit from services offered thereby leading to reduced number of citizens engaging in prostitution. Based on the fact that prostitution is legal in Canada, it is not necessary to limit the sale of sexual services. The government should be concerned about eliminating factors that motivate certain citizens into prostitution rather than regulating the industry.
The government should not adopt the argument that prostitution goes against the national values of Canadian society. However, there is the need to protect vulnerable groups such as school going children and the youth. When the constitution allows prostitution, the government should provide conditions so that each person in the society makes informed choices based on consequences of prostitution. Potter is right to argue that values and morals of the society are not universal.
Civil Rights
Potter claims that the Canadian government abhors civil rights of sex workers. The government argues that the morality status of Canada is at stake when prostitution is allowed to thrive. By criminalizing financial benefits from prostitution, the rights of sex workers are affected. Each person in the society has a right to engage in any activity that does not violate the freedom and right of others. In its clear that prostitution is used to gain financial benefits based on life’s challenges. Criminalizing sale of sex is against the right to earn a living on sexual services offered. The rights of prostitutes should not be restricted to money only. Human trafficking, safety, and exploitation motivate restriction of sexual services.
A counter argument is possible. Potter’s claim on civil rights may not be true. In particular, there are risks associated with prostitution. Violence against prostitutes, as well as exploitations from customers and other criminal groups are factors that should be considered by Potter and other persons against the C-36 law. In addition, the vulnerable citizens should be protected against sex adverts. The government does not abhor civil rights of sex workers by introducing measures that curb violence and exploitation inflicted on prostitutes. The only consideration the government should make relates to economic reason that motivates citizens to engage in prostitution based on monetary rewards.
Apart from risks in relation to violence and crime affecting prostitutes, it is necessary to consider the fact that the rights of all Canadian citizens be considered. The law outlaws any sexual sale in the school playground or day-care centre. The motive of the government is to consider vulnerable groups such as orphans and school going children who can be motivated by advertisements or monetary rewards that arise from prostitution. Further, prostitutes are affected by human traffickers. Prostitutes are moved from one region to another for the purpose of the sex trade. Through the C-36 law, the government ensures that human trafficking offenses do not affect the rights of prostitutes.
Relationship between moralities
Potter argues that prostitution is a moral practice since the view government prostitution as immoral. Viewing prostitution as immoral does not mean that the government adopts a negative attitude towards prostitution. Despite the fact that values are not universals, no government would want school going children, orphans, immigrants, and children in childcare facilities to be exposed to prostitution. Lawrence (22) argues that when advertisement and soliciting money from sex is allowed, it is necessary that the vulnerable members of the society such as school going children and immigrants are protected against human trafficking offense. Potter should understand that prostitutes are also affected by human trafficking offenses. Prostitutes have been trafficked from one region to another thereby leading to infringement on human rights. The perspective of the government is to reduce the risk of the society exposing school going children and prostitutes to human trafficking offenses.
A prostitute is an adult who has already made their choice in life; their choices should not be allowed to affect the choices of the younger generation in school. Potter should not present the argument about values. The reason prostitution is viewed to be immoral is based on the consequences to children as well as other members of the society. The larger society should be protected against activities of sexual workers which may be a nuisance to the public. What is evident, even Potter can agree, is that the society has morals. No society can expose children and other vulnerable groups to sex adverts. Potter presents a fallacy that the government is biased towards the larger Canadian society.
Prostitution and safety of sex trade
Potter claims that the safety of the sex trade is not based on the nature of the trade. This is a fallacy because prostitution motivates violence against prostitutes and human trafficking offenses. The law as established by the government ensures that procurement of a person for the purpose of prostitution does not become part of Canadian society. Potter argues that the government has a role in providing safety to prostitutes. The C-36 bill is one of the legislations enacted to guarantee the safety of prostitutes. Safety of sex trade is affected when persons are procured for the purpose of prostitution. In particular, prostitutes can be trafficked from other countries into Canada. Human trafficking as a safety measure should not be allowed.
The argument that the government should be concerned with problems facing prostitution and the actions implemented is evident through the C-36 bill. Potter does not understand the relationship between the crime against prostitutes as well as human trafficking offenses. According to Laing (12), the government is concerned about problems facing prostitutes. In particular, a safe environment for prostitutes is guaranteed through the c-36 bill whereby the government prohibits risks associated with violence towards prostitutes. The C-36 bill ensures that exploitation of prostitutes about procurement and human trafficking are not allowed to thrive in Canada.
In some instances, prostitutes experience violence from customers. Potter should understand that the C-36 bill ensures that the concept of a ‘weapon’ is understood about prostitution. The government notes that a weapon is anything designed, intended, or used against prostitutes against their will. Such clauses in the law guarantee reduced levels of violence inflicted on prostitutes.
Conclusion
The only negative aspect of the C-36 law involves the criminalizing sale of body as well as communicating sexual information. The government should understand that prostitutes have economic challenges that they solve through money gained from prostitution. Legislation against advertisement is aimed at protecting vulnerable groups such as children against sexual information. No society wants vulnerable groups to be trafficked or convinced that sex trade is part of normal life. Potter's arguments can be criticized on various fronts. One of the criticisms relates to the lack of appreciation to the C-36 bill in protecting prostitutes against human trafficking and violence. Also, Potter does not see vulnerable groups such as school children, orphans, and the larger society as persons who should be protected against the commercialization of sex.
Works Cited
Laing, M. "Book Review: Emily Van Der Meulen, Elya M Durisin and Victoria Love (eds), Selling Sex: Experience, Advocacy and Research on Sex Work in Canada." Work, Employment & Society (2015): n. page. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
Lawrence, S. “Expert-Tease: Advocacy, Ideology and Experience in Bedford and Bill C-36.” Canadian Journal of Law and Society/Revue (2015): n. page. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
