Thanks.
I think you're well aware that we work with women who are victimized, as well, not just women who are criminalized in the system. It's certainly a concern for all of us that those needs be met.
There's also a concern that this type of legislation is being introduced on the backs of victims as though it will solve those issues. In fact, we know, from what we've seen in other jurisdictions where these kinds of measures have been brought in, that it actually sucks resources out of the very areas that most support victims: social services, health care--particularly mental health services and supports--counselling services, and assistance there. It also sucks resources out of the very supports that provide interventions before someone gets involved in the system, which actually prevent there being victims.
That pretext is absolutely the concern of our organization. It's why we raise the fact that if in fact these issues were being addressed by this kind of legislation, we would not see women being the fastest-growing prison population at the same time crime rates are going down.