A Chief article about efforts to prevent the sexual exploitation of children and youth has been named a finalist for an award handed out by a national organization dedicated to the elimination of such abuses.
The article, "Raising awareness about sexual exploitation," appeared in The Chief on March 11, 2011. Written by then-Chief reporter Meagan Robertson, the article detailed the experiences of a Coquitlam family whose daughter was lured into a life of drugs and prostitution, the family's role in the founding of a society aimed at curbing child sexual exploitation and the local services available to Sea to Sky Corridor families facing similar circumstances.
The article was one of seven named finalists in the print category (English) for the Beyond Borders Media Awards in a statement issued on Oct. 5 by Beyond Borders End Child Pornography, Child Prostitution and Trafficking (EPCAT) Canada. The winners will be honoured on Nov. 21 in Winnipeg.
Various works in the print and electronic media from across the country will be honoured at the ceremony. The Chief's article is nominated in the same category as articles written by The Canadian Press, the Vancouver Sun, the Vancouver Courier, the Niagara Falls Review and The Lawyers Weekly.
"The work of journalists and documentary filmmakers is key to getting the message to the public that child sexual exploitation must stop," Rosalind Prober, president of Beyond Borders EPCAT Canada, said in the statement.
"These individuals have helped expose the unfortunate situations children all over the world face. With this knowledge, Beyond Borders can help solve the issue and continue our efforts to prevent the problem from occurring any further."
