Our research does show several barriers that have arisen for victims during COVID-19. One barrier we haven't talked about is the one that the courts themselves have created through hearing only urgent cases, and especially in the family law area that has really made it difficult for women to even get into court.
To echo Professor Benedet's point, that results in the privatization of violence because women don't even have access to a judge who will hear their concerns about custody and access issues and how they are being impacted by COVID, for example.
Something else I think we should be looking at is increased access to legal aid and other funded legal representation for victims. In the context of the bill specifically, I think it's really important to think about supports for victims, including independent legal advice, because they are going to have to testify about very terrible traumas that have happened to them, and they will need supports to assist them in being able to do that.