Thank you.
First, we want to applaud all of the speakers for their bravery in talking about a topic that impacts many of us.
The DisAbled Women's Network of Canada is a feminist, cross-disability human rights organization that works to address systems of oppression using an intersectional lens with a focus on disability. We are located on the unceded Kanien'kéha Nation's territory of Tiohtià:ke in Montreal.
According to Statistics Canada, 24% of young women and girls living in Canada currently have a disability and are a critically underprivileged and disadvantaged group that faces intersecting oppression such as disproportionate rates in poverty, violence, discrimination and incarceration, all of which creates a catalyst of mental health issues.
According to a recent study, disability correlated with mental illness and was closely associated with psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and a plethora of other mental and behavioural disorders.
The study concluded that individuals with disabilities experience increased instances of mental health issues with greater difficulties in the areas of self-care, interpersonal relationships, work functioning, communication and understanding.
Another aspect of young women's and girls' identities that are paramount to their mental health is race and the prevalence of race-based trauma, which is defined as an “emotional or physical pain or the threat of emotional or physical pain stemming from...discrimination...harassment” or aversive hostility.
In Canada, 35% of Black and indigenous women and girls live with a disability, and empirical evidence has drawn a connection between racism and substandard mental health. Systemic inequalities also impact the way certain marginalized communities access resources and social supports. For instance, Black children and youth in Canada face disproportionate challenges in accessing mental health care.
A recent study that was aimed to measure the relationship of perceived discrimination with other mental health outcomes such as depression, suicide attempts and alcoholism among indigenous individuals found that discrimination was correlated with higher alcohol use and suicide attempts, and protective factors such as involvement in traditional activities disappeared when respondents had suffered from high levels of perceived discrimination.
This creates a basis where mental health issues are further compounded by the psychological stress of systemic racism. Overall, this is particularly concerning if the medical assistance in dying is being extended to individuals with mental health disabilities, and may be extending to youth in the future.