RCMP investigators are cracking down on alleged brothels in Metro Vancouver in the wake of an Ontario judge’s controversial September 28 ruling striking down a federal law forbidding living off the avails of prostitution in that province, according to sex work activists.
First came the crackdown on ISHQ-Vancouver. Then came police raids and resulting closures of massage parlours Serenity and Alley Cat, according to Susan Davis, spokesperson for the B.C. Coalition of Experiential Communities.
Burnaby’s Jian Feng “Michael” Li is the latest alleged brothel owner to be targeted. He appeared in Vancouver Provincial Court October 13 to face one count of living off the avails of prostitution and four counts of keeping a common bawdy house. He was released and is scheduled to appear in court November 10.
“Unfortunately, we have no idea whether or not these people were exploiting people or providing them with safe places to work,” Davis told Business in Vancouver October 13. “This is a reaction to the Conservative government escalating the charges relating to prostitution and defining them as organized crime with a minimum sentence of five years. It was a maximum penalty of two years.”
The RCMP allege that Li sponsored up to nine women from Hong Kong who were forced to work in the sex trade when they came to Canada. Investigators also allege that Li used Craigslist to advertise four brothels he allegedly ran in Surrey, Burnaby, Coquitlam and Richmond.
Davis did not know much about Li’s situation but she said other alleged brothel owners who have been recently raided were doing an honest business.
“They were providing a safe place for people to work – young women who now have no where to work. Where are they going to go? Onto the streets, into the school yard where people will find condoms and scream and yell.”
RCMP also allege Li was making up to $40,000 per week with the women under his control.
“They love to inflate their numbers to inflate their budgets,” Davis said. “I’m totally disgusted with the organized crime task force right now. These recent crackdowns I consider to be retaliatory prosecution and enforcement because of the Ontario challenge and the B.C. challenge to these laws. It’s proven to be against our human rights.”