To the attention of the Members of the Canadian Parliament,
I represent a feminist universalist citizen organization, the Réseau Féministe Québécois, and we are deeply concerned by the current situation surrounding the Exploited Communities and Individuals Protection Act (ECPECA), which is currently before the Supreme Court of Canada.
As you know, pimps are challenging this law, jeopardizing years of progress in protecting women from sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
This law, passed in 2014, is a key instrument for protecting women and young people from prostitution and trafficking. It criminalizes the purchase of sexual services while offering an approach focused on helping and protecting victims, rather than criminalizing the people who are often trapped there. Its application has made it possible to limit the demand for prostitution, and to provide a legislative framework that seeks to protect vulnerable individuals while offering them ways out of this environment.
However, this law is now endangered by the challenge to its constitutionality before the Supreme Court (Mikhail Kloubakov, et al. v. His Majesty the King), and it is imperative that our government takes a stand to vigorously defend it and ensure that its protections are maintained for future generations.
I urge you to fully support this legislation and ensure that it is not dismantled, which would have dramatic consequences for women and young people who are victims of exploitation. Protecting exploited communities and individuals must remain a priority for our society.
In addition, it is essential that the Canadian government increase funding for support programs for women wishing to leave prostitution. Many women find themselves in extremely precarious situations, often due to socio-economic factors, violence or trauma. They need ongoing support to reintegrate safely into society. This includes access to shelters, mental health services, vocational training and legal support. Funding these programs is an essential investment in the protection of women's rights and well-being.
I also ask you to stop funding organizations that promote prostitution and the pimping industry and redirect these resources to initiatives that are genuinely aimed at helping the victims of sexual exploitation. It is unacceptable for public funds to be used to support actions that legitimize the exploitation of women and human trafficking by pimps who enrich themselves by selling the bodies of women and young people. On the contrary, we must support programs that offer women viable alternatives to prostitution and help them rebuild their lives.
I urge you to take a stand in favor of the LPCPVE and support concrete actions to protect and support women. We need to send a clear message: prostitution is not an acceptable solution, and women have a right to a life free from sexual exploitation.
I thank you for your attention to this fundamental issue and remain at your disposal for any further discussion or to provide further information on the urgent needs of these women.
Yours sincerely
Alexandra Houle, President, Réseau Féministe Québécois, R.F.Q.
