Thank you.
I'd like to begin by thanking our witnesses for being with us today.
We've heard a lot about education and the role it could play in helping the situation, but I'll stick with a question on something that I'm curious to hear your thoughts on.
I'll start with you, Ms. Quinn. You called for an increase in law enforcement in order to help victims of sex trafficking and in order to come down hard on those who are traffickers, but we have heard in this committee from sex workers who have come to speak to us about how they often feel endangered. A big part of the reason is that there isn't a labour code, obviously, for sex work, and there are often consequences for women who are engaging in sex work, be it by choice or not. Many women do feel that they don't necessarily have a choice, in that it's the only thing they can do, or they do it when they're in a situation where they feel they need to do this.
In your view, what is a good way to balance the approach? What is a way to ensure that the government can come down hard on those who are trafficking while also protecting victims of trafficking and in general victims of sexual assault and abuse when they are in these types of situations, given the fact that sex work in itself is not illegal?
I'm wondering what your thoughts are on this.