Let’s Protect Our Youth

By Lisa Clowery, President and Chief Executive Officer at Marie-Vincent

Today, we are marking the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence. As the leader of an organization that supports children and adolescents who are victims of this violence every day, I wanted to take stock of where things stand, but also to share what gives me hope.

Established by the UN in 2022, this day reminds us that the scourge of sexual violence affects millions of young people around the world, millions of lives upended, primarily those of young girls.

In Quebec, recent data show that minors under the age of 18 account for 62% of the victims of sexual offences recorded by police services (Sexual Offences in 2019, Ministère de la Sécurité publique – 2021). Of the youth we meet at our facilities, 99% were assaulted by someone they knew.

November 18 aims to promote the dignity, health and healing of survivors, as well as their access to justice, in a reality where, all too often, out of shame, they remain silent. It also puts the spotlight on prevention and education efforts, powerful levers for building a more informed society, one that can serve as a true safety net for our youth.

At Marie-Vincent, that is exactly what we do: each year, we support hundreds of young victims of sexual violence and children with problematic sexual behaviours, along with their families. Under one roof and in collaboration with our partners, we offer them psychosocial, psychotherapeutic, socio-legal, police and medical services.

We also help prevent sexual violence through several prevention programs and numerous training sessions that reach more than 6,000 people working with youth every year.

We are at the heart of the solution, part of an invaluable network of organizations across Quebec and Canada working in areas as sensitive as education, health and social services, the socio-legal field and the community sector.

One of the solutions lies in collaboration, I sincerely believe that. We are, in fact, a founding member of the Child and Youth Advocacy Centres of Canada association, which brings together some forty organizations that coordinate their efforts and share their expertise.

While Marie-Vincent already provides support to youth experiencing sexual exploitation, we must remain vigilant and evolve our practices and tools to address new forms of violence that are just as devastating for victims, such as online sexual violence.

In our fight, we can count on the support of the Marie-Vincent Interuniversity Research Chair, which allows us to deepen our thinking, develop tailored programs and assess the effectiveness of our various initiatives. The value of this perspective also helps guide our actions.

That said, none of this work can be done without the lasting support of generous individuals and donor organizations, as well as public authorities. Our mission is absolutely essential and, in order to carry it forward, we are calling on the government to reaffirm its commitment to youth by placing the treatment and prevention of sexual violence at the heart of its priorities.

The consequences of this violence can be catastrophic for young victims. Without treatment, they may develop addictions, exhibit suicidal behaviours, engage in risky sexual practices and suffer from social isolation.

As I mentioned, November 18 is also a day to highlight the healing of these victims. That is where the true strength of the Marie-Vincent team lies: when tragedy strikes, when children go through the unimaginable, we help these youth and their families regain hope, rebuild their lives, flourish and keep dreaming. Every day, we witness incredible acts of resilience on their part, acts that inspire us and renew our determination to carry on our work.

Together, one step at a time, let’s build a world free from violence against children and adolescents.