The effects of the decriminalization of prostitution in Canada In 2007, three prostitutes, Terri-Jean Bedford, Amy Lebovitch and Valerie Scott approached the Canadian government to challenge the current prostitution laws after charges were pending against them for illegal acts of prostitution (Chez Stella, 2013). The Bedford case opened a debate on the decriminalization of prostitution in Canada. Through my research, I offer a comparative analysis of four approaches to prostitution, which help illustrate the effects that decriminalization would have on sex workers and women in general. The four states I compared are Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden and Australia. Each of these countries has different opinions and policies on prostitution. Canada is currently criminalized, the Netherlands is a state where prostitution is legalized, Sweden supports abolitionism, and in Australia prostitution is decriminalized. Through careful analysis I have determined the effectiveness of each policy and which system I believe would be best for Canada's future. Based on this investigation, I argue that Canada should adapt a similar approach to that of Australia, decriminalizing prostitution as a means to social, economic and legal stability for women. It is through decriminalization that sex workers will have the opportunity to be actively involved in the community and no longer marginalized members of society. The Bedford case was initiated in 2007 by three sex workers who challenged three provisions of the Canadian Criminal Code, as they argued these sections violate sex workers' constitutional rights (Bennett, 2013). The Supreme Court ruled that these provisions effectively violate section s.7 of the Charter of Rig...... middle of document ......gChallenge to prostitution laws: Bedford V. Canada. (n.d.). Chez Stella. Retrieved November 12, 2013, from http://www.chezstella.org/docs/StellaInfoSheet.pdfComte, J. (2013, March). Decriminalizing sex work: feminist discourses in light of research. Sexuality and culture, 18, 196-213. Gangoli, G., & Westmarland, N. (2006). International approaches to prostitution. 1-25. Outshoorn, J. (2001). Debate on prostitution in parliament. The EuropeanJournal of Woemn's Studies, 8(4), 472-490.Overall, C. (1992). What's wrong with prostitution? Evaluating sex work. Signs, 17(4), 705-724.Thompson, S. (2000). Prostitution: an ignored choice. 21 Female Rts,239-248.Van Der Meulen, E. (2009). Public policies for women. (pp. 332-349). Toronto: University of Toronto Press Incorporated. Van der Meulen, E. (2009, February). “Sex work and the state. Briarpatch Magazine.