In Québec, children aged 0 to 5 account for more than 12% of reported minor victims of sexual offences. It is to change this reality that Marie-Vincent developed Lanterne, its flagship prevention program, which trains the adults who work with young children and equips children themselves to recognize and communicate their boundaries.
A scientific evaluation conducted by the Marie-Vincent Interuniversity Research Chair in Child Sexual Abuse between 2021 and 2024 now allows us to measure its real-world impact.
Training early childhood educators and community practitioners is at the heart of Lanterne. What the evaluation shows is that the learning sticks: knowledge and confidence are maintained four months after training. Participants also report feeling significantly more comfortable using correct anatomical terms and discussing sexuality with children without discomfort.
Through tools like the Marvin puppet or the book La bulle de Miro, children build concrete self-protection skills. Many settings have observed children spontaneously using the concept of the “bubble” to assert their personal space — a first step toward understanding consent.
Four months after training, here are the tools practitioners use most in their work:
When an entire team trains together, something different happens. Practitioners become more attuned to signs of violence, less likely to rationalize concerning situations, and quicker to consult the DPJ when in doubt. Lanterne creates an environment where everyone speaks the same language.
The care givers consulted as part of the evaluation are satisfied — but they have ideas for going further: printed guides with simple answers to children’s questions, videos showing the tools in action, and adaptations for older children or those with special needs. These are directions already shaping our thinking for the next phase of Lanterne.
View the evaluation report (Available in French only)
