Understanding Sex Work in Kampong Cham: Context, Challenges, and Resources

Kampong Cham, a bustling provincial capital on the Mekong River, faces complex social issues common to urban centers globally, including the presence of sex work. This article aims to provide factual information about the legal landscape, socioeconomic drivers, associated risks, and available support services within this context. It emphasizes harm reduction, human rights, and the realities faced by individuals engaged in sex work, avoiding sensationalism or promotion.

What is the Legal Status of Sex Work in Kampong Cham, Cambodia?

While the direct exchange of sex for money between consenting adults isn’t explicitly criminalized, nearly all related activities are illegal. Solicitation, pimping, brothel-keeping, and human trafficking are strictly prohibited under Cambodian law, including the Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation (2008). Enforcement can be inconsistent, leading to complex realities on the ground where sex work operates in a legal grey area, often hidden or semi-visible.

What Laws Specifically Target Sex Work Activities?

Cambodian law primarily targets third-party involvement and exploitation. Brothel keeping (Article 24 of the Suppression Law) carries severe penalties (10-20 years imprisonment). Procuring or soliciting for prostitution (Article 25) and living off the earnings of prostitution (Article 26) are also criminal offenses. Police raids on suspected brothels or solicitation hotspots do occur in Kampong Cham, sometimes resulting in arrests, detentions, or fines, though individuals selling sex themselves are less frequently the primary target than brothel owners or pimps.

How Does Law Enforcement Impact Sex Workers?

Enforcement creates significant vulnerability. Fear of arrest or police harassment can drive sex work further underground, making individuals less likely to seek help from authorities, report violence, or access health services. Sex workers may experience extortion, arbitrary detention, or violence from law enforcement officers. This environment undermines trust and hinders efforts to promote safety and health within the community.

What is the Difference Between Sex Work and Trafficking in Kampong Cham?

This is a critical distinction. Sex work involves adults consenting to sell sexual services, however complex their motivations might be due to economic hardship. Human trafficking involves force, fraud, coercion, or deception to exploit someone for commercial sex or labor. Kampong Cham, like other provinces, has instances of both. Trafficking victims, often brought from rural areas or neighboring countries under false pretenses, are victims of a severe crime and require rescue and specialized support, not criminalization. Consensual adult sex work, while operating in a legally precarious space, involves different dynamics.

Where Does Sex Work Typically Occur in Kampong Cham?

Sex work in Kampong Cham isn’t confined to a single “red-light district” but operates in various, often discreet, locations. Common venues include specific karaoke bars, beer gardens (particularly along the riverfront or near major roads), massage parlors (some operating as fronts), guesthouses offering short-term rooms, and certain streets known for solicitation after dark. The visibility varies significantly depending on the venue and police tolerance at any given time.

What Types of Venues Are Common?

Karaoke bars and beer gardens are prominent settings. Workers may be employed by the venue or operate independently within it, socializing with customers who may negotiate for sexual services. Some massage parlors offer sexual services covertly. Budget guesthouses facilitate encounters. Street-based sex work, often involving higher vulnerability, occurs in less visible areas. Online solicitation via social media and messaging apps is also increasingly common, offering more discretion but different risks.

How Visible is Street-Based Sex Work?

Street-based sex work in Kampong Cham is generally less overt and concentrated than in larger cities like Phnom Penh. It tends to occur in specific, less trafficked areas, often near transportation hubs, markets after hours, or dimly lit side streets. Workers in this setting often face higher risks of violence, police harassment, and exposure to the elements compared to venue-based workers.

Is Online Solicitation a Factor in Kampong Cham?

Yes, like everywhere, technology plays a role. Sex workers and clients increasingly connect through social media platforms (like Facebook), messaging apps (Telegram, WhatsApp), and even local dating apps. This offers greater privacy and screening potential but also introduces risks like online scams, blackmail, and the challenge of verifying client identities before meeting.

What Are the Major Health Risks Associated with Sex Work in Kampong Cham?

Sex workers face significant health challenges, primarily high risks of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Limited access to consistent, non-judgmental healthcare, inconsistent condom use (sometimes pressured by clients offering more money), and lack of comprehensive sexual health education contribute to this vulnerability. Mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD due to stigma, violence, and stress, are also highly prevalent but often unaddressed.

How Prevalent is HIV/AIDS Among Sex Workers?

HIV prevalence among female sex workers in Cambodia has historically been significantly higher than the general population, though concerted national efforts have reduced rates over the past two decades. Data specific to Kampong Cham is harder to pinpoint, but provincial trends likely mirror national ones. Access to regular testing, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) for those living with HIV is crucial but can be hindered by stigma, cost, and lack of awareness.

What Other STIs Are Common and What are the Consequences?

Beyond HIV, curable STIs like syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia are widespread. Untreated, these can lead to severe long-term health problems including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, chronic pain, pregnancy complications, and increased susceptibility to HIV infection. Access to affordable, confidential testing and treatment is vital but often lacking for marginalized sex workers.

What Mental Health Challenges Do Sex Workers Face?

The psychological toll is immense. Sex workers routinely experience stigma, discrimination, social isolation, fear of arrest and violence, and often traumatic events. This contributes to high rates of depression, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders (sometimes as a coping mechanism), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mental health services tailored to their needs and free from judgment are extremely scarce in Kampong Cham and Cambodia generally.

What Support Services Are Available for Sex Workers in Kampong Cham?

Services are limited but exist, primarily driven by local NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs), sometimes with international funding. Key services include HIV/STI testing and counseling, condom distribution, basic health check-ups, peer education on health and safety, legal aid referrals, and sometimes vocational training or microfinance initiatives aimed at providing alternative income opportunities. Organizations like Women’s Network for Unity (WNU) or local CBOs might have outreach programs or drop-in centers offering these services.

Where Can Sex Workers Access Health Services?

Key access points include NGO-run drop-in centers specifically for key populations (like sex workers, MSM, transgender individuals), some public health centers offering “friendly” services (though availability and true friendliness vary), and outreach programs where peer educators distribute condoms and health information. Confidentiality and non-discrimination are major concerns, deterring many from using public facilities.

Is There Legal Aid or Protection from Violence?

Access to legal aid specifically for sex workers facing violence, extortion, or unfair detention is very limited in Kampong Cham. While general legal aid organizations exist, sex workers often fear reporting crimes due to stigma, distrust of police, fear of being arrested themselves, or lack of awareness of their rights. Specialized support for victims of trafficking is more structured but separate from services for consensual sex workers.

Are There Programs Offering Exit Strategies or Alternatives?

A few NGOs offer vocational training (sewing, hairdressing, handicrafts) or small business support (micro-loans, savings groups) aiming to provide alternative livelihoods. However, the scale and sustainability of these programs are often insufficient to meet the demand. Successful “exiting” depends heavily on individual circumstances, available support networks, viable economic alternatives, and addressing underlying issues like debt or family obligations.

What Socioeconomic Factors Drive Sex Work in Kampong Cham?

Engagement in sex work is overwhelmingly driven by complex socioeconomic pressures. Limited formal employment opportunities, especially for women with low education or skills, pervasive rural poverty pushing migration to provincial towns, significant household debt (often from microfinance loans), the need to support children and extended families, and the relatively higher immediate income potential compared to other available jobs (like garment work or farming) are primary drivers. Gender inequality and lack of social safety nets further compound these pressures.

How Does Rural Poverty Influence Sex Work in the Province?

Kampong Cham province has significant rural poverty. Young women and men migrating from impoverished villages to Kampong Cham city seeking better opportunities often find only low-paying, unstable jobs in the informal sector. Faced with the pressure to send money back to struggling families or repay debts, sex work can appear as a viable, albeit risky, option to earn substantially more money quickly compared to working in a restaurant or as a day laborer.

What Role Does Debt Play?

Debt is a massive factor. Many families, especially in rural areas, rely on microfinance loans (MFLs) for necessities, agriculture, or small businesses. Cambodia has one of the highest microfinance debt burdens per capita globally. When families struggle to repay high-interest loans, daughters or wives may feel compelled to migrate for work, and sex work can be seen as the only way to earn enough to prevent land loss or extreme hardship. Debt bondage can also be a feature in trafficking situations.

Are There Specific Vulnerabilities for Young Women and Migrants?

Young women, particularly those migrating internally from rural areas, face heightened vulnerability. They often lack social support networks in the city, may have limited education and job skills, face language barriers (if from ethnic minorities), and are susceptible to deception by brokers or employers promising legitimate jobs that turn out to be exploitative, including in the sex industry. Isolation and lack of resources make them easy targets for abuse and less able to leave exploitative situations.

How Can Individuals Engage in Safer Sex Work Practices?

Harm reduction is a crucial public health approach. Key strategies for safer sex work include consistent and correct condom use with all clients (despite pressure or offers of more money for unprotected sex), regular and comprehensive STI/HIV testing (at least every 3 months), knowledge and access to PrEP for HIV prevention, access to PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) in case of condom failure or assault, hepatitis B vaccination, and negotiating clear boundaries with clients. Peer support networks are vital for sharing safety information.

Why is Consistent Condom Use Non-Negotiable?

Condoms are the single most effective barrier against HIV and most other STIs during sexual intercourse. Consistent use with every client, for every act (vaginal, anal, oral), is essential for protecting both the sex worker and the client. However, clients often offer significantly more money for sex without a condom (“bareback”), creating intense economic pressure to take risks. Peer education focuses on negotiation skills and the long-term health cost versus short-term financial gain.

What is PrEP and How Can it Help?

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a daily medication (like Truvada or Descovy) that is highly effective at preventing HIV infection when taken consistently. It provides an additional layer of protection for HIV-negative sex workers, especially in situations where condoms might fail or not be used. Accessing PrEP requires consultation with a healthcare provider for prescription and monitoring, which can be a barrier in Kampong Cham, though some NGOs facilitate access.

How Important are Peer Networks for Safety?

Peer networks are lifelines. Experienced sex workers share vital information about dangerous clients (e.g., known violent individuals, non-payers), safe venues, police movements, trustworthy health services, and negotiation tactics. They offer practical support, emotional solidarity in a stigmatizing environment, and can sometimes intervene in risky situations. Building and strengthening these informal networks is a key harm reduction strategy.

What Risks of Violence Do Sex Workers Face in Kampong Cham?

Sex workers in Kampong Cham, like globally, face alarmingly high rates of violence. This includes physical assault (beating, choking), sexual violence (rape, gang rape), robbery, client refusal to pay, verbal abuse and threats, and harassment from authorities or community members. Stigma and the illegal nature of their work make them easy targets, as perpetrators often believe they can act with impunity, knowing the victim is unlikely to report to police.

How Common is Client Violence?

Violence from clients is disturbingly prevalent. It ranges from non-payment and verbal abuse to severe physical and sexual assault. Factors contributing to this include the clandestine nature of transactions (meeting in private rooms), client intoxication, underlying misogyny and dehumanization of sex workers, and the power imbalance inherent in the commercial exchange. Sex workers often have limited recourse due to fear of arrest if they report.

Does Police Harassment or Violence Occur?

Yes, encounters with police can be a significant source of violence and abuse. Instead of protection, sex workers may face extortion (demanding money or sexual favors to avoid arrest), arbitrary detention, physical violence during raids or arrests, confiscation of condoms (used as “evidence” of prostitution), and verbal harassment. This systemic abuse reinforces fear and distrust of authorities.

How Can Sex Workers Enhance Their Personal Safety?

While risk cannot be eliminated, strategies can mitigate it: working in pairs or groups when possible (especially street-based), screening clients carefully (trusting instincts, using peer warnings), informing a trusted person (like a peer or madam) of client details and location before meeting, meeting new clients in public places first, having a discreet “check-in” system, avoiding isolated locations, and carrying a mobile phone. However, economic pressures often force workers to take risks.

What Role Do Brothels and Establishments Play?

Brothels, though illegal, may operate covertly in Kampong Cham, often disguised as guesthouses, massage parlors, or karaoke bars. Their role varies. Some provide a controlled environment where workers might feel slightly safer (e.g., security presence, regulated clients), receive room/board, and have someone handling negotiations. However, they often take a large percentage of earnings, impose strict rules, and can be sites of exploitation and control, blurring the line with trafficking, especially if workers are indebted or unable to leave freely.

How Do Establishments Operate Given Their Illegal Status?

Brothels operate clandestinely to avoid police detection. They might function as legitimate-seeming businesses (karaoke, massage) with sex work occurring discreetly on the premises. Management might have arrangements with local authorities (corruption), paying bribes to operate with reduced interference. Operations can be fluid, changing locations or practices in response to police crackdowns or community pressure. Workers may live on-site or come only for shifts.

What are the Pros and Cons for Workers in Establishments?

Potential Pros: Relative physical security compared to street work (bouncers, controlled access), steady client flow managed by the establishment, provision of basic room/board, potential for peer support among co-workers. Potential Cons: High percentage of earnings taken by management (often 50% or more), strict rules and fines, restriction of movement, pressure to accept clients or services against their will, risk of exploitation/debt bondage, vulnerability during police raids, potential exposure to violence from management or clients despite security presence.

Are Workers Typically Free to Leave These Establishments?

The degree of freedom varies drastically. In less exploitative situations, workers might come and go relatively freely, choosing their clients. However, in more exploitative settings, especially involving trafficking or significant debt bondage, workers may have their identification documents confiscated, be confined to the premises, subjected to constant surveillance, threatened with violence, or told they owe large, unpayable debts for “transport,” “room and board,” or “fines,” making them feel unable to leave. This constitutes trafficking.

How Does Stigma Impact Sex Workers in Kampong Cham?

Deep-seated social stigma is pervasive and profoundly damaging. Sex workers are often viewed as immoral, dirty, vectors of disease, or criminals by society, families, healthcare providers, and authorities. This stigma fuels discrimination, social exclusion, barriers to healthcare, housing, and other services, vulnerability to violence (as perpetrators feel justified), internalized shame, mental health struggles, and fear of seeking help. It is a primary driver of marginalization and vulnerability.

How Does Stigma Affect Access to Healthcare?

Stigma creates significant barriers: Fear of judgment or mistreatment discourages sex workers from visiting public clinics or hospitals. Healthcare providers may display discriminatory attitudes, breach confidentiality, or provide substandard care. Sex workers might delay seeking treatment for STIs, injuries, or other health issues until they become severe. This directly contributes to poorer health outcomes and increased transmission of infections within the community.

What is the Impact on Family and Community Relationships?

Stigma often leads to severe social consequences. Sex workers may be ostracized by their families and communities if their work becomes known. They might be disowned, lose custody of children, or face violence from relatives. This forces many to keep their work secret, leading to isolation, psychological distress, and cutting them off from crucial traditional support networks, making them even more dependent on sex work income and vulnerable to exploitation.

Does Stigma Hinder Access to Justice?

Absolutely. Fear of being blamed, shamed, not believed, or even arrested themselves prevents the vast majority of sex workers from reporting crimes like rape, assault, or robbery to the police. Authorities may dismiss their complaints due to prejudice, viewing them as “deserving” of violence because of their profession. This pervasive impunity for perpetrators is a direct consequence of stigma and the criminalized environment.

What Efforts Exist to Address Human Trafficking in Kampong Cham?

Combating human trafficking, including for sexual exploitation, involves government agencies (like the Provincial Anti-Human Trafficking Police), international organizations (UN agencies like IOM, UNODC), and local/international NGOs (e.g., AFESIP, Chab Dai Coalition). Efforts include law enforcement training, victim identification and rescue operations, provision of shelter and rehabilitation services (including medical care, counseling, vocational training), legal support, community awareness campaigns to prevent trafficking, and cross-border cooperation with neighboring countries like Vietnam.

How are Victims Identified and Supported?

Identification is challenging. Potential victims might be identified during police raids on suspected brothels, through community tip-offs, or by outreach workers. Specialized NGOs often run shelters providing immediate safety, medical care, trauma counseling, legal assistance to navigate the justice system (if they choose), and long-term rehabilitation programs focused on life skills, education, and job training to support reintegration or safe return to their communities.

What Challenges Exist in Fighting Trafficking?

Significant challenges persist: Corruption undermining law enforcement efforts, difficulty distinguishing between consensual migrant sex work and trafficking in complex situations, victims’ fear and distrust of authorities hindering cooperation, limited resources for comprehensive victim support and protection, sophisticated criminal networks, porous borders, and deep-rooted poverty driving vulnerability. Effective prosecution of traffickers remains difficult.

How Can the Community Help Prevent Trafficking?

Community awareness is vital. Educating communities, especially in vulnerable rural areas, about trafficking risks (e.g., fake job offers, broker deception), safe migration practices, and recognizing signs of trafficking empowers potential victims and their families. Encouraging reporting of suspicious situations to authorities or trusted NGOs, supporting survivor reintegration without stigma, and addressing the underlying poverty and lack of opportunity that fuel vulnerability are crucial community roles.

What are the Realities for Male and Transgender Sex Workers?

While often less visible than female sex workers, male and transgender (TG) individuals are also engaged in sex work in Kampong Cham. They face unique and often heightened challenges. Male sex workers (MSW) serving male clients (MSM) or women grapple with extreme stigma related to homosexuality and sex work, often forcing them deeper underground. Transgender sex workers, particularly trans women, face compounded discrimination based on gender identity and profession, leading to severe marginalization, violence, and barriers to healthcare and support.

What Specific Challenges Do They Face?

Male and TG sex workers encounter intense stigma: Homophobia and transphobia within the broader community and even within the sex worker community itself. This makes accessing health services (especially HIV/STI services tailored to MSM/TG) incredibly difficult. They are often excluded from mainstream sex worker support programs. They face higher risks of violence from clients, police, and the public. Legal frameworks offer no protection against discrimination based on SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression). Finding safe venues to work is extremely challenging.

Are There Specific Health Risks?

Yes. MSM and TG sex workers have some of the highest HIV prevalence rates in Cambodia due to biological factors (anal sex carries higher transmission risk), stigma preventing access to prevention and care, and network effects. They also face high rates of other STIs. Mental health issues are exacerbated by layered discrimination and violence. Hormone therapy access for TG individuals is limited and unregulated, posing health risks.

Is Support Available for Male and TG Sex Workers in Kampong Cham?

Targeted support is extremely limited in Kampong Cham. Some national or Phnom Penh-based LGBTQI+ organizations (like Rainbow Community Kampuchea – RoCK) or MSM/TG-focused health programs (often linked to HIV initiatives) may attempt outreach or have networks, but dedicated, accessible services within Kampong Cham province are scarce. This population remains critically underserved.

How Do Cultural Attitudes in Cambodia Shape the Sex Industry?

Cambodian culture, influenced by Buddhism and traditional values, holds conservative views on sexuality and gender roles. Premarital sex and extramarital affairs are officially frowned upon, creating a paradox where male patronage of sex workers is relatively common but highly stigmatized for the women involved. The concept of “face” (kâtt mặt) is powerful; engaging in or being associated with sex work brings immense shame upon individuals and their families. This cultural backdrop fuels stigma, secrecy, and the vulnerability of sex workers, while simultaneously creating a demand side that is rarely held to the same level of social accountability.

How Does the Concept of “Face” Influence Sex Workers?

The intense need to preserve personal and family honor (“kâtt mặt”) forces sex work into secrecy. Workers go to great lengths to conceal their profession from families and communities to avoid bringing shame. If discovered, the resulting loss of face can lead to ostracization, violence, or being cut off entirely. This secrecy isolates workers, prevents them from seeking support, and makes them more susceptible to exploitation by those who know their secret. The fear of exposure is a constant, oppressive force.

Is There a Double Standard for Male Clients?

A significant double standard exists. While female sex workers bear the brunt of societal condemnation and legal risk, male clients often face minimal social stigma within their peer groups and are rarely targeted by law enforcement for simply buying sex. Male sexuality is often tacitly accepted as having “needs,” while female sexuality, especially when commodified, is harshly judged. This imbalance perpetuates the industry and shields demand from scrutiny.

How Do Traditional Gender Roles Contribute?

Traditional Cambodian gender roles emphasize female purity, modesty, and responsibility for family honor. Men are often seen as breadwinners with more sexual latitude. Economic pressures frequently fall heavily on women, especially in poor households or as single mothers. When formal opportunities fail, sex work can become one of the few perceived ways for women to fulfill the culturally expected role of providing financially for their children and extended families, even at great personal cost and violation of other cultural norms regarding female sexuality.

What are the Ethical Considerations When Discussing This Topic?

Discussing sex work demands careful ethical navigation. Key principles include: centering the voices and experiences of sex workers where possible, avoiding stigmatizing language (e.g., “prostitute” is often considered derogatory; “sex worker” is preferred by many advocates), respecting confidentiality and anonymity, focusing on harm reduction and human rights rather than moral judgment, distinguishing clearly between consensual adult sex work and trafficking/exploitation, acknowledging agency alongside structural constraints, and ensuring information does not inadvertently facilitate exploitation or harm.

Why is Language Important?

Language shapes perception. Using terms like “prostitute” or “whore” reinforces stigma and dehumanization. “Sex worker” is a more neutral, professional term that recognizes the labor aspect. Phrases like “caught in prostitution” imply lack of agency. Describing individuals as “victims” should be reserved for trafficking/exploitation situations, not automatically applied to all sex workers. Accurate, respectful language is fundamental to ethical discussion and reporting.

How Can We Avoid Exploitative Narratives?

Avoid sensationalism, voyeurism, or focusing solely on salacious details. Resist the “rescue narrative” that portrays all sex workers solely as helpless victims needing saving, which can be disempowering and ignores their agency. Similarly, avoid romanticizing the work. Focus instead on structural factors (poverty, inequality, law), health and safety realities, rights violations, and the need for evidence-based policies (like decriminalization supported by WHO/UNAIDS) that reduce harm and empower workers.

What Does “Do No Harm” Mean in This Context?

“Do no harm” means ensuring that reporting, research, or service provision doesn’t increase risks for sex workers. This involves: protecting identities rigorously, avoiding descriptions that could lead to police raids or client identification, not making promises of support that cannot be delivered, ensuring informed consent for any interviews or photos, challenging stigma rather than reinforcing it, and prioritizing the safety and well-being of the individuals involved above all else, including the desire for a compelling story or data.

What is the Future Outlook for Sex Work in Kampong Cham?

The future is uncertain and heavily dependent on broader socioeconomic and policy shifts. Without significant reductions in poverty and inequality, increased access to quality education and decent work, and reforms to the exploitative microfinance sector, economic pressures driving people into sex work will persist. Continued criminalization perpetuates stigma, violence, and barriers to health and safety. The most promising path forward involves a combination of economic development, comprehensive harm reduction services scaled up significantly, and moving towards decriminalization of sex work (as opposed to legalization or full criminalization) to reduce police abuse and empower workers to organize for their rights and safety, as recommended by major global health bodies.

Could Decriminalization Improve Conditions?

Evidence from other jurisdictions suggests decriminalization (removing criminal penalties for consensual adult sex work) could significantly improve health and safety outcomes in Kampong Cham. It could reduce police harassment and violence, allow sex workers to report crimes without fear of arrest, facilitate access to healthcare and social services, enable them to work together in safer environments, negotiate condom use more effectively, and organize for labor rights. It would not eliminate all risks but address the harms exacerbated by criminalization.

How Crucial is Economic Empowerment?

Long-term solutions must address root causes. Creating viable, dignified alternative livelihood options through equitable economic development, skills training linked to actual job markets, fair wages in formal sectors, access to education, and reforming predatory lending practices is fundamental. Social safety nets are needed to support those in extreme poverty without resorting to high-risk survival strategies. Economic empowerment reduces desperation-driven entry into sex work.

What Role Do Local NGOs Play in Shaping the Future?

Local NGOs and CBOs are on the frontline. Their continued advocacy for policy change (including decriminalization), expansion of accessible and non-judgmental health and support services, community education to reduce stigma, peer-led harm reduction programs, and efforts to document rights violations are critical. Supporting the capacity and sustainability of these organizations, especially those led by sex workers or affected communities, is vital for driving positive change in Kampong Cham.

The situation surrounding sex work in Kampong Cham is complex and deeply intertwined with poverty, gender inequality, law, and culture. Meaningful improvement requires moving beyond moral judgment and criminalization towards evidence-based approaches focused on human rights, harm reduction, health access, economic justice, and the empowerment of those most affected. Understanding the realities, challenges, and existing support structures is the first step towards fostering a more just and safe environment for all residents of the province.