news
March 11, 2013, Coquitlam – Held throughout British Columbia from March 11 through 17, the 15th Annual STOP the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth Awareness Week brings awareness to the importance of supporting communities in developing prevention, education, enforcement and intervention strategies to address the sexual exploitation of children and youth. This year, local non-profit Children of the Street Society will be highlighting the issue with the launch of a new ad campaign called “Just One Photo.”
The campaign, developed by Cossette Vancouver, features the story of a young girl who shared a private photo online with someone she trusted. Her tale, presented in parts on various cell phone screens, highlights the increasing power new technologies have in the distribution of potentially harmful content. Touchpoints include resto-bar and school posters, transit shelter advertisements, and a video http://youtu.be/Avm7nr1kZhg which hopes to draw the attention of parents and children alike.
“In recent years it has become very apparent that the issue of sexual exploitation has shifted online, and is continuously evolving due to the advancement and accessibility of technology,” said Diane Sowden, Executive Director of Children of the Street Society. “This campaign is intended to raise awareness that, when you are online, there is no such thing as sharing just one photo.”
The society offers a breadth of preventative programs which engage a diverse range of individuals and groups. Focusing primarily on education and awareness workshops for young people aged 11 through 18, Children of the Street facilitates over 550 workshops across the province with more than 30,000 participants annually. “Our school based program is in high demand,” says Sowden. “We continue to see an increase in requests from schools and community groups who are dealing with peer-to-peer exploitation such as ‘sexting’ or young people entering into unhealthy relationships with someone they’ve met online.”
This week, Children of the Street Society is encouraging the public to support their efforts to increase public awareness about the issue of sexual exploitation of children and youth. You can participate in the through the following ways:
About Children of the Street Society:
Children of the Street Society is a Provincial Society and Federal Charity dedicated to preventing the sexual exploitation of children and youth in British Columbia through education strategies, public awareness initiatives, and family support since 1995. Our mission is to take a proactive approach through public awareness, education and early intervention strategies to prevent the sexual exploitation of children and youth, while offering support to families. Our vision is a world where children and youth are safe and free from all forms of sexual exploitation.
-30-