Thank you all for your interest.  For more information please contact us through email at childrenofthestreet@telus.net.

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Also, check back often to see what is happening throughout the province regarding sexual exploitation.

What is happening with the proposed Safe Care Act in British Columbia?

Legal Age of Sexual Consent

The legal age of sexual consent in Canada has now been raised to 16 years of age.   We thank all those who joined us in the fight to stop sexual exploitaton of children and youth.

May 2, 2008, Coquitlam 

Diane Sowden took on a personal campaign in 1993 when her daughter was recruited at the age of 13 into the sex trade. Turning to the police for help, Diane was shocked when she was told there was nothing anyone could do to help protect her daughter, when she became pregnant at the age of 14, by an older man, due to the law.

Diane’s personal mission continued as she began speaking out publicly about the issue of sexual exploitation, and the laws that were not protecting our children and youth. As a result of Diane’s speaking out, soon other parents came forward who disclosed their children had also been recruited, and manipulated into the sex trade.

In 1995, a new Society was born, called Children of the Street Society. Through Diane Sowden, Executive Director of the Society, the non-profit group now educates young people, parents, service providers, police, and the general public on the prevention of sexual exploitation. Knowing that the average age of entry into the sex trade is 14 years, Sowden was overwhelmed when it became law that the legal age of protection has been increased to 16.

“We at Children of the Street know that this is going to give social workers, police officers, and parents the ability to protect a young person that is 14 or 15 who may be targeted or abused by an adult predator.  Based on the calls we receive at our Society from service providers and families seeking help, we have found that the highest need of protection is 14 or 15 years.

Under the new age of protection, anyone under the age of 16 cannot legally consent to any form of sexual activity with an adult. The new law contains a close-in-age exception of less than 5 years, which means that teens who are sexually active with their peers will not be breaking the law.

“This law now brings Canada on par with other countries,” says Sowden. “With the Olympics coming this will give us an opportunity to let the world know that we value our children and youth, and our laws will protect them from predators.”

Sowden would like to thank some key individuals who helped champion this cause over the years: former Reform MP Sharon Hayes, former Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh, the late MP Chuck Cadman, and MP James Moore. Due to these individuals, tens of thousands of signatures have been presented in the House of Commons and provided Diane Sowden the opportunity to personally present in the House of Commons.

"None of this could have happened without the commitment of groups such as the Soroptimist groups, business people, and the general public who circulated and signed the petition.  Thank you to the media who kept this issue on the radar for so many years