Thank you, Madam Chair.
I thank the four witnesses for appearing before the committee today and for the work they do on a daily basis with respect to this very important issue of intimate partner violence.
My first question will be to Ms. Vallée.
At the last meeting of the committee, which was held last Tuesday, a witness told us:
[...] we must absolutely support the feminist movement and feminist organizations, because research has shown that they are the ones that bring about change when it comes to violence against women and spousal violence.
Obviously, I support these words. Your contribution to the fight against violence against women is undeniable. I think your centre and the work you do demonstrate that. I would really like to thank you for accepting our invitation to appear today.
In March 2020, your organization submitted a report to the Expert Committee on Support for Victims of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, which was entitled: “Adapter le parcours judiciaire au rythme et aux vécus des victimes et des survivantes” [Adapting the judicial pathway to the pace and experiences of victims and survivors]. In this report, you mention the importance of eliminating the barriers that hinder access to justice for women victims of domestic and sexual violence, since many victims are afraid to denounce their aggressor, in particular because of these obstacles.
Could you explain what the obstacles and barriers are that a woman has to overcome in order to agree to denounce the violence of which she is a victim?