20 months in prison for Proxenet: Victim fights for justice!

20 months in prison for Proxenet: Victim fights for justice!

On August 12, 2025, David Morasse Ducharme was sentenced to 20 months in prison at the Palais de justice de Valleyfield. This is the result of his involvement in prostitution and human trafficking. Judge Marie-Chantal Doucet pronounced the verdict and set a two-year probation period with strict conditions. This includes a ban on contact with the victims and their families.

Ducharme has been arrested twice in the past by the Sûreté du Québec: first in October 2020 in Drummondville and then again on May 14, 2021 in Longueuil. The offenses took place between November 2019 and February 2020. Judge Doucet made it clear that Ducharme forced his victims into an isolated lifestyle.

Victims and psychological consequences

A central figure in this process was Marie-Ève ​​Cool, who had up to 50 clients per week during this time and suffered severe psychological consequences from the experience. It is alarming to see how the financial income changed: while initially the ratio was 60-40 in favor of the victim, Ducharme was ultimately favored with 100% of the income. His motives were clear: profit-making and satisfying his drug and alcohol addiction.

The verdict brought relief to Cool, who has now received justice after more than four years of litigation. She is actively committed to supporting women who have also been victims of sexual exploitation. This commitment is important given the complexity of proxenetism in Canada.

Legal foundations of proxenetism

Canadian criminal law codifies proxenetism as a serious criminal offense. How on jurigo.ca As reported, the law, in particular Articles 286.2 and 286.3 of the Canadian Criminal Code, includes provisions that criminalize profiting from the prostitution of other people. Proxenetism is defined as the obtaining of financial advantage by supporting or making a living from the proceeds of prostitution of others. Possible penalties range up to 14 years in prison, particularly for extensive or serious exploitation.

These legal aspects make it clear that Canadian criminal law takes the fight against such offenses seriously. Combating human trafficking is viewed as a high priority by the federal government and law enforcement authorities, and Germany also has similar legal regulations to protect against human trafficking. The Federal Criminal Police Office Highlights that human trafficking is a serious human rights violation that involves numerous forms of exploitation, with sexual exploitation being a common problem.

According to the latest findings, there is a worrying number of unreported cases of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, as many of those affected are afraid to come forward. Social isolation and financial dependence play a major role in keeping victims in a cycle of exploitation.

Overall, the recent Ducharme case clearly demonstrates the importance of legal action and civil society engagement in combating proxenetism and human trafficking. This is the only way we can ensure that affected women like Marie-Ève ​​Cool receive the support and justice they need to break out of this vicious circle.