In Burnaby, we work together as a community to keep children safe from exploitation. The District is part of the “Burnaby-New Westminster Task-Force on Sexually Exploited and At-Risk Youth,” along with the City of Burnaby, Fraser Health Authority, Ministry of Children and Family Development, non-profit organizations providing services to youth, the City of New Westminster and its school district.
Since 1998, the Task Force has worked to protect children and promote support services for at-risk youth. Together – beginning March 9 – we are marking “Stop the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth Awareness Week.”
The province-wide week recognizes the importance of supporting communities to develop prevention, education, enforcement and intervention strategies to address the sexual exploitation of children and youth.
As a district, we also have several initiatives that focus on healthy relationships, boundaries, personal and online safety, as well as other educational activities and information sessions for children, youth and their families.
Additionally, we are working with our partners on the next two-year work plan for the Task Force. It will focus on actions to empower youth through engagement, coordinating awareness activities, and increasing service provider capacity.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual exploitation, talk to your Safe Schools Specialist, Principal, Vice-Principal, or Counsellor at your school.
You can also contact VictimLinkBC.
The following links are to resources for families, children, and youth:
https://www.cybertip.ca/pdfs/C3P_ParentingintheDigitalWorld_en.pdf
https://www.cybertip.ca/pdfs/C3P_SafetySheet_OnlineExtortion_en.pdf
https://www.cybertip.ca/pdfs/C3P_SafetySheet_HealthyRelationships_en.pdf
https://www.cybertip.ca/pdfs/C3P_SafetySheet_OnlineLuring_en.pdf
https://www.cybertip.ca/app/en/internet_safety-for_youth
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Posted March 2020