[353] I found the evidence of Dr. Melissa Farley to be problematic. Although Dr. Farley has conducted a great deal of research on prostitution, her advocacy appears to have permeated her opinions. For example, Dr. Farley?s unqualified assertion in her affidavit that prostitution is inherently violent appears to contradict her own findings that prostitutes who work from indoor locations generally experience less violence. Furthermore, in her affidavit, she failed to
qualify her opinion regarding the causal relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and prostitution, namely that it could be caused by events unrelated to prostitution.
[354] Dr. Farley?s choice of language is at times inflammatory and detracts from her conclusions. For example, comments such as, ?prostitution is to the community what incest is to the family,? and ?just as pedophiles justify sexual assault of children?.men who use prostitutes develop elaborate cognitive schemes to justify purchase and use of women? make her opinions less persuasive.
[355] Dr. Farley stated during cross-examination that some of her opinions on prostitution were formed prior to her research, including, ?that prostitution is a terrible harm to women, that prostitution is abusive in its very nature, and that prostitution amounts to men paying a woman for the right to rape her.?
[356] Accordingly, for these reasons, I assign less weight to Dr. Farley?s evidence.