Prostitution: Ontario court gives OK to brothels

The federal government was reviewing its legal options Monday after Ontario's top court swept aside some of the country's anti-prostitution laws, saying they place unconstitutional restrictions on prostitutes' ability to protect themselves.

"As the prime minister has said, prostitution is bad for society and harmful to communities, women and vulnerable persons," said Justice Minister Rob Nicholson in a statement emailed to Postmedia News. "We are reviewing the decision and our legal options. The Ontario Court of Appeal has affirmed the validity of the ban on solicitation for the purposes of selling sex. We continue to see a social need for laws to control prostitution and its effects on society."

The landmark decision means sex workers in Ontario will be able to hire drivers, bodyguards and support staff and work indoors in organized brothels or "bawdy houses," while "exploitation" by pimps remains illegal. However, openly soliciting customers on the street remains prohibited, with the judges deeming that "a reasonable limit on the right to freedom of expression."

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