Aanii. First I'd like to acknowledge my standing here on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin First Nation.
I represent Sextrade101 and the many first nations women and girls who are enslaved in prostitution or trafficked.
My name is Wasayakwe. My English name is Bridget Perrier. I was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario and placed up for adoption. I was adopted by a good family who tried to raise me the best way possible, but as I got older the effects of colonialism, intergenerational trauma, and child sexual abuse made me a perfect candidate for prostitution.
I was lured and debased into prostitution at the age of 12 from a child welfare-run group home. I remained enslaved for 10 years in prostitution. I was sold to men who felt privileged to steal my innocence and invade my body. I was paraded like cattle in front of men who were able to purchase me, and the acts that I did were something no little girl should ever have to endure here in Canada, the land of the free.
Because of the men, I cannot have a child normally, because of trauma towards my cervix. Also, still to this day I have nightmares, and sometimes I sleep with the lights on. My trauma is deep, and I sometimes feel as though I'm frozen—or even worse, I feel damaged and not worthy.
I was traded in legal establishments, street corners, and strip clubs. I even had a few trips across the Great Lakes servicing shipmen at the age of 13. The scariest thing that happened to me was being held captive for a period of 43 hours and raped and tortured repeatedly at 14 years of age by a sexual predator who preyed on exploited girls.
My exploiters made a lot of money and tried to break me, but I fought for my life. My first pimp was a woman who owned a legal brothel, where I was groomed to say that I was her daughter's friend, if the police ever asked. My second pimp was introduced to me when I was in Toronto. I had to prostitute for money. He was supposed to be a bodyguard, but that turned out to be one big lie.
Both are out there still, doing the same thing to more little girls somewhere here in Canada.
I was able to exit prostitution and rebuild my life, and with that my education became a tool. I was recognized for my tenacity and my strength and have been able now to be an asset to my community and to my people. I am a mother, activist, and warrior woman, and now my experience may be sacrificial at times, but I am doing it for Canada's first nations women and girls who are being bought sold and are disappearing or murdered.
We must look at who is doing this. It's the men.
I have a letter, because my 19-year-old daughter's mom was murdered by Robert Pickton, and she asked me to read this to you.
Dear Standing Committee, My name is Angel Wolfe. My birth mom's name is Brenda Wolfe. My mom was murdered by Robert Pickton. Her murder was one of the first six that he was charged with. I was six years old when she was murdered and nine years old when her jaw bone was found in a pig trough. I am one of the 98 orphans who were left behind because of that monster. I do blame the Vancouver Police Department and the RCMP. I believe that Bill C-36 will save vulnerable women like my mom. I'm sickened that my mom's death has been used to legalize such indignity and sadness. I'm also sickened by the term “the Pickton bill”. It's insulting and a slap in the face to the 98 orphans, and the organizations and the pro-lobby movement should be really ashamed for speaking on behalf of the families who lost their loved ones. I blame prostitution and addiction for my mother's death, and on behalf of the 98 orphans, we do not want our mothers' deaths to be the reason prostitution is legitimized.
I will make it my mission in life to carry her story and educate people about addictions, prostitution and the murdered and the missing. Sincerely, Angel Wolfe
Bill C-36 will protect my daughters and the other young girls from predator johns who have the nerve to solicit in public. Just last week, my 15-year old niece was propositioned right outside my door.
If prostitution were such a healthy path, then why are the johns not telling their wives, girlfriends, and families that they use or have used sexual services from prostitutes?
Sextrade101 believes that prostitution is not a choice, but that it's lack of choice that keeps women and girls enslaved. We believe everyone should be shown a viable way out of the sex trade and not be encouraged to stay in it. We believe in helping people understand the full price of life in prostitution before they become involved and in helping women get out alive with their minds, bodies, and lives intact. We have been collectively afraid, raped, beaten, sold, discarded. Most of us were also children who were forgotten, neglected, abused, used, led astray, abandoned, and not protected.
Sextrade101 members and advocates are current and former prostituted women. We have a huge concern with the criminalization of prostituted women and girls. We have seen that diversion programs for prostituted women are not the only solution for everyone. There needs to be an understanding that supports must be there when exiting. Forcing support on women who are not ready to exit can set them up for failure.
Some 85% of Sextrade101 advocates and members have experienced pimp violence. This is pretty far from the picture painted by the Supreme Court of Canada, that pimps are nice guys,These pimps and johns are the problem. They're the ones who abuse and in some cases kill.
I supported my daughter throughout the missing women inquiry, and the outcome of it was this: our mothers, sisters, and daughters are not born to be used and sold for men's sexual needs. We are not commodities. Our women are sacred. They are valued and loved, and as life givers and nurturers, we are equal. Let's not forget equality in this bill.
I applaud Minister MacKay and MP Ms. Joy Smith in recognizing the inherent dangers and abuses for those who are prostituted. This is a victory for survivors and those who are stuck in the vicious cycle of indignity and pain.
As a sex trade survivor, I thank you so much for giving me the honour of speaking on behalf of the survivors of Sextrade101 and all the survivors across Canada, whether they are still in or have exited.
Chi-miigwetch.