The Current

Brenda Cossman: Sex workers given lower bar when it comes to consent

Law professor Brenda Cossman says the laws around consent are not equal to all women. Sex workers are assumed a transaction for sex becomes consent to anything and she says this needs to change.
U of T law professor Brenda Cossman says conversation around consent and sex workers needs to change. ((Christopher Dew)

On Tuesday we discussed the case of thirty-six year-old Cindy Gladue. She died in an Edmonton hotel room in June, 2011. She bled to death... her body was found in the bathtub. Charged in the case was a truck driver, from Ontario, Bradley Barton.

Last month Mr. Barton was found not guilty of first-degree murder, as well as manslaughter. 

This case raised many questions and concerns, including questions around the laws of consent.

Brenda Cossman is a Professor of Law and the Director of the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto. She was in our Toronto studio.


This segment was produced by The Current's Lara O'Brien.