Beyond Borders Media Awards announces winners for 2009

WINNIPEG , Oct. 26 /CNW/ - Beyond Borders, Canada's global voice against child sexual exploitation, announced the winners of its 7th annual media awards today. The winners will receive their awards on November 20 (Universal Children's Day) in a ceremony in Winnipeg .

"Our independent judges were very impressed with the calibre of submissions this year," states Deborah Zanke, Co-chair of the awards. "They must reach a consensus and that was difficult this year."

Sue Montgomery of The Gazette won in the English print category for her compelling series of articles chronicling the stories of sexual abuse victims who attended schools and other institutions run by the Brothers of the Holy Cross.

Brett Mitchell , Victor Malarek and Patti-Ann Finlay of CTV's news program W-5, won in the English electronic category for the documentary, Trial of a Sex Tourist. The work is a thorough examination of the first application of the sex tourism law in Canada .

The French electronic category award goes to Myriam Fimbry of Radio-Canada for her radio documentary, Abus sexuels chez les jeunes enfants : le défi de la prevue. The documentary explores flaws in the judicial system through the eyes of a mother of a child whose sexual aggressor was cleared of charges due to lack of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.

Lindsay Lafreniere , of Concordia University , won in the English student category for her print article, Working to stop child prostitution in Cambodia . The article examines Cambodia's massive child sexual exploitation problem as well as programs set up by NGOs trying to combat it.

There were no submissions in the French print and French student categories.

The Media Awards event is an opportunity to highlight the work Canadian journalists undertake on the issue of child sexual exploitation, which in turn raises public awareness about this child human rights crisis. This year's event will feature an afternoon keynote address by journalist Victor Malarek. His book, The Johns: Sex for Sale and the Men Who Buy it, is an astonishing expose about what drives the demand for sex for pay.

About Beyond Borders

Beyond Borders is a national non-profit organization that advances the rights of children to be free from sexual exploitation. It is an affiliate of ECPAT International (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) operating in 75 countries around the world. Visit www.beyondborders.org for more information about the organization as well as a full list of media awards nominees.

For further information: Deborah Zanke, [phone]