The Quebec government is giving $54,644 to the Sphère santé sexuelle globale (SSSG) for its Vénus project, as part of the prevention and intervention program regarding sexual abuse of young people.
With this initiative, Laval’s community organization is employing an outreach worker in order to create meaningful connections with young girls working in the sex industry on Île Jésus who are victims, or at risk of being victims of sexual, financial, psychological and physical violence.
In Virtual Mode
The Internet part of the project connects with another group of young girls, which are those receiving their clients in private places, like an apartment, a condominium or house, and can only be joined online.
The project submitted by Laval’s SSSG thus answers the prevention and intervention program’s criteria, which financially supports projects looking to prevent and counter sexual abuse of young people who have been victims of it, or are at risk.
The prevention and intervention program mainly aims to increase the intervention capacity regarding to the fight against sexual abuse, improve knowledge on the characteristics of the victims, and establish practices that meet their expressed needs.
It’s one of the key measures of the government’s action plan for 2021-2026, in response to the recommendations of the Select Committee on the Sexual Exploitation of Minors.
Words from Elected Politicians
“Every day, the trap of sexual abuse closes on a significant number of minors, including young girls,” said via press release Geneviève Guilbault, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security. “(…) Thereby, we also recognize the extraordinary work of our community organizations on the field in terms of prevention and intervention.”
“The safety of our young girls isn’t negotiable, regardless of the field they decide to work in for a living,” added Christopher Skeete, MP for Sainte-Rose, in the same press release. Yet, the number of young girls who are victims of sexual abuse is barely decreasing. (…) I am sure that the hiring of an outreach worker Laval’s SSSG will be of great help to its clientele of young women.” (B.L.)
translated by Alec Brideau
