Thank you very much for the question.
The pandemic has had a serious effect for all Canadians. Specific to women and girls, it has been very difficult, because when we notice periods of what I'll call “lockdown” or where women and girls are told to minimize their traffic and where they are going, and schools are not open and that kind of thing, it makes it very difficult for women to access services.
This is for multiple reasons. Women might be trapped in their homes with their abusers or traffickers, and they do not have an opportunity to reach out for support. What our agency really focuses on is being able to provide immediate access to support and being available when a woman walks through our door or makes a call, so that we can provide her support as quickly and effectively as possible.
A lot of the work we do is around safety planning. If a woman comes to our door who has been trafficked or exploited, or is involved in the sex industry, we really and truly meet her where she is at and figure out what works best for her in the moment.
As I said, the pandemic itself has had a huge impact on the lives of all women and girls. Women who have been sexually exploited and trafficked are truly no different, and they are the most at risk. Women face violence and physical health issues—