UdeM Study: Bill C-36 Endangers Independent Sex Workers
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- Cloé Gobeil, a University of Montreal master's student supervised by criminology professor Frédéric Ouellet, published findings in the journal Criminologie based on interviews with 13 independent sex workers aged 25 to 47, 10 of whom hold university degrees
- Bill C-36, passed in 2014, criminalized the purchase of sexual services and broadened the definition of pimping, which the researchers say blocks sex workers from hiring even administrative assistants without exposing them to legal risk
- Nine of the 13 participants reported concealing their sex work from friends and family, with some citing fear of blackmail by ex-partners—secrecy the researchers say can itself become a tool of control
- Violence reported by participants was primarily psychological—degrading comments, threats, control attempts—rooted in stigma, though sexual assault occurred, most often in the form of clients removing or refusing condoms without consent
- Independent sex workers use deliberate risk-management strategies, including premium pricing to filter out risky clients, full social-media background checks, upfront payment, and informal shared databases that flag dangerous clients
- The researchers call for decriminalization of sex work, a redefined "third party" exemption so workers can access support, and direct involvement of sex workers in shaping the policies that affect them
Why it matters: Canada's Bill C-36 was sold as a protection measure, but this peer-reviewed study argues the opposite: by criminalizing the work environment rather than the workers, the law strips independent sex workers of the ability to hire help, report abuse, or organize safely—putting 13 surveyed women, most of them university-educated, in greater danger than decriminalization would.
