NEWS:
2004 Civicus World Assembly March 21-24, 2004 (pdf):
A report on the assembly held in Gaborone, Botswana

ARE BOYS ANY DIFFERENT? - "Exploring the Issues of Sexually Exploited Male Youths"
A one day conference on February 11th, 2004 put on by Peers
View Invitation -- Download Registration Form

Three Years at a Glance: The Prevention and Early Intervention of Sexually Exploited Children and Youth Project (Final Report) (pdf)

Capital Region Against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth Awareness Week

It is called "CRAT" and it was formed by people who cared about the sad state of a growing number of underage (under 19) youth who were trading and selling sex for survival. Sometimes it was for pimps who had recruited them to make money for them in return for parties and "good times", but which led to addictions to drugs and alcohol and physical and emotional abuse. CRAT is inclusive and the members come from the three levels of government, the health region, school districts, police forces, youth-serving agencies, parents, former sexually exploited youth and individuals with a commitment to helping solve the problem. Everyone wanted to get into ACTION and research was done which became the basis for our action. CRAT meets every other second Tuesday of the month and has several subcommittees: Schools and Education; Justice Issues; Housing and Integrated Services; and Public Awareness.

Click here for details!

CRAT has now been in operation for slightly more than three years. Among the concrete changes we have seen in that time:

       · Establishment of a full-time Youth Outreach Team, consisting of one police officer and one youth outreach worker, who devote all their time to working with sexually exploited youth.       

       · Establishment of a network of six "safe homes", where young people who are ready to break away from a life of sexual exploitation can live safely.        

       · Receipt of a three-year grant totaling almost $500,000 from the federal Solicitor General's Crime Prevention Fund. This money is being used to ensure the continuity of the Outreach Team and also to set up other services for sexually exploited youth.       

       · Completion of a four-month public awareness-raising campaign, including busboards, radio advertisements, and significant amounts of media coverage, all based on the theme that youth sexual exploitation is another form of child abuse, and "Our Children Are Not For Sale!"       

       · Cooperation and collaboration between the five municipal, two RCMP and military police forces in the Capital Region. The needs of sexually exploited youth and parents and caregivers are much better served because of the steps that have been taken to achieve this.       

       · The issue of youth sexual exploitation has become one that is openly discussed in many situations within the Capital Region and safety from predators on the Internet is another education opportunity that CRAT is undertaking.