Well, the law actually does that. The law is focused on the demand.
I absolutely hear Ms. Lam's testimony. I want to say that I've heard this from survivors as well. I've heard the same things. They are saying that they're tired of burying their friends, but they recognize that it is not the law that has buried their friends. It is the buyers and the exploiters who have caused the harm that has buried their friends. Sometimes it's suicide, because of the work.
As an organization, we have no funding. We are all volunteers. We include sex workers, past brothel owners, survivors and multiple people who are working with sex workers. That's what we're hearing from them.
The law is not about criminalizing sex work. When I say it's not being implemented, that's the problem. It's very fulsome. It gives us all the tools to do exactly what Ms. Lam is asking for. Within this law are tools to protect sex workers. It comes back to this: Why are people being harmed? Why are people afraid of the police? We are not educating and training the police to implement this law the way it was intended.
We also know that the exploiters are educating the sex workers—the individuals—to be afraid of the law, to be afraid of the police and to not go to the police because it puts them in danger. They don't want it out there that they have harmed them in some way or that they've been assaulted.
We're laying a lot of blame on the law that doesn't belong on the law. As a result, as long as we do that, we really are ignoring the underlying issues that are leading to harm within sex work and violence against women, period.
I just want to say to you, Ms. Michaud, that I have listened to the testimonies and your questions. I really appreciate the extent to which you are seeking information and looking at all sides of this issue in trying to deal with a very complex issue in a kind and supportive way. I certainly appreciate how difficult it is for legislators to wend their way through this issue to really address what the law is trying to address.