Brothel could aid prostitutes
by Sean McGahey
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) – Vancouver should look at having a city-owned, non-profit brothel as a way to protect drug-addicted prostitutes, according to a city council member.
A brothel could provide drug treatment and medical help to prostitutes who sell sex to support their addictions, Tim Louis told the Vancouver Sun’s editorial board, the newspaper reported on Thursday.
“Many people involved in survival sex are drug addicted, and it is a crime that we don’t have treatment on demand, so there would be many benefits of a brothel run on a break-even basis,” Louis told the paper.
Brothels are illegal in Canada, but Vancouver officials have been accused of ignoring the plight of prostitutes in its poor Downtown Eastside neighbourhood.
Robert Pickton is awaiting trial for killing 27 Vancouver sex-trade workers, most from the Downtown Eastside.
(c) VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters)