Madam Chair, I would first like to mention that I will be sharing my time with the member for Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle.
They were rays of sunshine, daughters, sisters, fantastic mothers. They were women. COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on women. During the pandemic, twice as many women as men lost their jobs. It is primarily women who work in essential services. They are working on the front lines and are exhausted.
The problem has become much more serious. Organizations on the ground have told us that the pandemic has deepened the isolation of women who are experiencing abusive and violent behaviour, that it has made it harder for women to leave their abusive spouses, and that it has increased factors associated with violence, such as alcohol consumption, financial insecurity and mental health problems. Lockdowns have meant less contact with friends and family, contributing to women's isolation and removing their social safety net.
In less than six weeks, seven femicides have occurred in Quebec. This problem is nothing new, but the crisis that has been raging for over a year has highlighted issues related to gender-based violence. The motion that was moved today was born of a concern that my colleagues and I have. The resulting discussion this evening is of vital importance. I thank everyone who has risen to speak.
We must speak out about the deaths of these women and about all victims of violence. We need to be aware of the problem. I am sure that I am not the only one here who feels uncomfortable walking or running at certain times or in certain places. Sometimes I even have to change my route when I am running because I feel as though I am being followed or because I need to avoid people who look threatening. Unfortunately, too many women can relate.
In Sherbrooke, a manifesto for the safety of women garnered 1,102 signatures. I want to commend Guylaine Cliche for this initiative. These situations are just one part of the problem.
For many, it is not even possible to be safe at home. That is unacceptable. Since the beginning of the crisis, I have been in contact with social workers in Sherbrooke to stay abreast of their reality and their needs. Organizations such as CALACS and l'Escale saw their requests for support increase and their work become more complicated. I saw the challenges they are facing: the lack of funding, the staffing shortage and the lack of volunteers. Needs are growing and the services are not keeping pace. That is why I am proud to have announced last September with my colleague Minister Bibeau, nearly $130,000 to support them. These organizations are a lifeline for women and victims, but we know that the work does not stop there and that more needs to be done.
This evening's discussion, initiated at the unanimous request of the House, is proof that awareness of this issue is growing. That is definitely a step in the right direction. I also want to say that the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights has been discussing this issue for two months now. Interesting ideas have emerged from that, such as including the notions of cyber-violence and former intimate partners in the definitions in the bill. These are potential solutions that came out of expert recommendations, and they offer hope. I am very much looking forward to continuing our work on this because it will help the women of Sherbrooke and of Canada.
The witnesses who appeared before the committee reminded us that few women turn to formal support resources and that many never report their situation. That may be because they are unaware of existing services, because of barriers to access or because they fear worsening violence after they report. These findings suggest that we have a lot of work to do to get rid of the stigma associated with gender-based violence. We need to be proactive. We need to work with teens on prevention and raise public awareness of this insidious form of violence.
Before closing, I want to share this message. We all have a role to play in combatting this type of violence. Anyone who is a victim of intimate partner violence or gender-based violence should talk to someone they trust and ask for help—