Mr. Speaker, women working in Canada's sex trade deserve safety. Unfortunately, one shared experience by all those working in the trade is stigmatization.
Stigmatization means barriers in accessing health care. Stigmatization means workers are not reporting abuse, in fear of judgment by those in power. Stigmatization means indigenous women, girls and two-spirited individuals overrepresented in the sex trade continue to go missing or are murdered. Stigmatization means organizations working to provide essential supports are struggling to access reliable funding. Stigmatization means those working in the sex trade were not eligible, by the government, for CERB. Finally, stigmatization means the government is dragging its heels to deliver legislation to protect sex trade workers. Instead, it is driving them further into isolation.
How many lives need to be lost before the government finally takes action?