It's even bigger than that. Certainly, we have seen cases in which the exploiter has engaged that youth in other crimes, such as smuggling guns or drugs, and in one case even murder, where they were being considered as an accessory to murder. This is then held over their head. Even simple theft is held over their head: “You don't want to go to the police. You'll go to jail because of what you did.”
It's intentional. It's very intentional. They don't want those sex workers going to the police. They don't want to be exposed for the harm.
You know, I absolutely agree with Ms. Lam on so many points. I have seen and heard testimony directly from individuals on what is happening to them, but I just want to go back and say that it isn't the law that is creating a fear of police. It is being told that you can't trust the police and that you can't go to the police.
I'm not totally defending the police. We also know that the police have been complicit. When we look at the profile of the buyers, we see lawyers, doctors, teachers, professionals, police officers—people with influence and power. They are a big part of the demand and the exploitation. So it's understandable that people are afraid of them.
What I come back to is that all of us need to look at what the intent is of the law and make sure it is addressing and meeting its intent. Its intent is very wonderful. Addressing the demand is important. When you decriminalize, when you grant impunity to the buyers and the exploiters, they become more violent. We see it. We have evidence of that all over the world. I can say we have evidence of that in Vancouver. It's really political will that has held our police back. They recognize, they value, and I think they have guidelines that are very compassionate. They understand how to address the issues of exploitation in the most careful and supportive way, but there's no political will to support them, fund them and provide the resources to make sure that our police, all our enforcement services, are addressing the intent of the law.
There are the provisions and then there is the operation. We need to marry those.