As I said, when I was practising law, I would see the gaps in the system, especially when it came to breaking this cycle of violence. Children are especially very negatively affected.
Yes, we did sit together.
Over the last two years during the pandemic, we saw that the amount of violence increased against women. They were isolated with their partners. Children were subject directly and vicariously to this violence. The testimonies were horrific. I was sitting there most of the time just thinking to myself, “We have to do something.” Over and over I would think this to myself.
I would like to add one thing, because I know you have a lot of questions for everybody and I see you moving. One phrase that came up during studies is that the pandemic was “an abuser's paradise”. This really struck me. An abuser's paradise means you isolate and she couldn't go anywhere. We had to do something.
This is what motivated me. Then MP Damoff came and spoke to me about the Kagans' tragedy. I said, “Okay, let's do something.”