We certainly have fact sheets on our website that you are welcome to use that are researched every year by the wonderful volunteers and students who work with us. Both Catherine and I teach at the law school as well, and have the benefit of law students to assist with that process, to shore up our limited resources.
For women, we are dealing predominantly with poor women. The last time statistics were looked at, about 80% of the women in prison have essentially been living in poverty and attempting to deal with that. The majority are mothers, many of them employed or underemployed, more often in seasonal or low-wage work. Before they go to prison, most of them are sole supporters of their children. In the federal system about a third are indigenous women. It ranges as high as 75% to 80% in some provinces. About half are racialized. Just last week I was with the Native Women's Association talking about the impact of residential schools on the long-term social deprivation of the number of indigenous women and girls ending up in the system.
We have a high proportion with mental health issues. With the evisceration of social programs and health care, particularly for women but also for men and young people, we've seen increasing numbers of people with mental health issues. Also, for women, the last time the federal government looked at this issue, 91% of indigenous women and 82% of women overall had histories of abuse, much of it stemming from childhood abuse, but also extending into adulthood. For many of them, the treatment they had received, if any, would involve medication. They often also will anesthetize themselves to that reality, so the issue of addictions that was raised earlier also comes up for many prisoners. My experience with men is very similar, although I'll let Ms. Latimer add to that.