Twelve Québec celebrities support Beyond Borders in the fight against sexual
exploitation of children

Beyond Borders announced today the creation of its Quebec chapter and presented its first public awareness campaign, Homme à Homme

MONTREAL, Nov. 29 /CNW Telbec/ - Au-delà des frontières, the Quebec chapter of the Canadian organization, Beyond Borders, which fights the exploitation and sexual trafficking of children, today announced the launch of its Quebec chapter and its first public awareness campaign in Quebec: Homme à Homme. Twelve prominent Quebecers agreed to support this cause by lending their words and faces to the campaign: Jean-Luc Brassard, André Chagnon, Yvon Deschamps, Louis Garneau, Charles Lafortune, Guillaume Latendresse, Commandant Robert Piché, Gildor Roy, André Robitaille, Éric Salvail, Bruny Surin, and Jacques Villeneuve.

Homme à Homme: educate, raise awareness, and expose
Some 90% of those who sexually abuse children are men. This is why twelve Quebec stars are speaking out to raise awareness and encourage people to report this activity in an Internet campaign launched today at www.taparolecompte.ca.

Danielle Ouimet, sponsor of Au-delà des frontières, personally approached these Quebec celebrities involved in the campaign. "I wanted to get involved because even a small gesture can sometimes blossom into something big. Isn't it our duty to give back childhood to those who have never had one?" added the actress.

"We hope this campaign will encourage men to speak out and change the mentality of those who are committing these acts," said Rosalind Prober, cofounder of Au-delà des frontières. "The more men speak out, the easier it will be for victims to break the bonds of silence and seek help."

Beyond Borders: protecting children from sexual aggressors
Rosalind Prober founded Beyond Borders/Au-delà des frontières in 1996 with lawyer Mark Hecht in the hope of never seeing another child become a victim of sexual crimes. Fourteen years later, the essentially volunteer-run, telework-based organization is needed more than ever.

Although it is very difficult to get accurate figures on the scale of sexual tourism around the world, an estimated 1.8 million children are its victims. This is an international phenomenon, and Canada is affected even within its own borders. 

Beyond Borders, the Canadian affiliate of ECPAT International (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes), a global network of more than 80 groups in 75 countries, struggles every day against all forms of sexual abuse of children. With a view to strengthening Canadian legislation, a number of volunteer lawyers have committed to get things moving. 

The most recent example occurred during the week of November 22, when Beyond Borders urged the supreme court of British Columbia to bolster laws regarding polygamous men marrying children in the name of religious freedom. Another of the organization's many successful initiatives: Beyond Borders cofounded the website, www.cybertip.ca, which provides advice to victims of child pornography and online sexual predators, as well as to those who would like to report a crime.

The founding of the Quebec chapter was a natural next move. It will make it possible to educate even more people about all forms of child sexual abuse and have spokespersons who are familiar with Quebec culture and issues.

For more information on Beyond Borders/Au-delà des frontières: http://www.audeladesfrontieres.ca
Follow Beyond Borders on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Au-dela-des-frontieres-Inc/231271310404?v=wall

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