MEDIA RELEASE
November 12, 2013

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WINNIPEG, MB – The parents of Rehtaeh Parsons and mother of Amanda Todd will be presented with the Rosalind Prober Award for Advocacy at the Beyond Borders ECPAT Canada Media Awards in Winnipeg on November 18. The event falls during Bullying Awareness Week and also commemorates Universal Children’s Day (November 20).

Amanda’s mother, Carol Todd, and Rehtaeh’s parents, Glen Canning and Leah Parsons, have become vocal advocates for children and youth who have been bullied and exploited online, following the tragic suicide deaths of their daughters, who were tormented in this way.

“Carol, Glen and Leah’s dedication to seeking change in preventing cyberbullying and online sexual exploitation has not only raised awareness about the issues, but their tireless advocacy has also motivated stakeholders to urgently address the harm done by this type of victimization,” states the award’s namesake, Rosalind Prober.

Carol Todd and Glen Canning will be in Winnipeg on November 18 to accept the award as part of the Beyond Borders ECPAT Canada Media Awards luncheon ceremonies. The Media Awards honour Canadian journalists who have done exceptional work covering the issue of child sexual exploitation. More about the awards and winners can be found at http://www.beyondborders.org/wp/media-awards/.

Child Sexual Exploitation in the Digital Age: educational symposium

The morning of the awards, Carol Todd and Glen Canning will share their experiences at an educational symposium on protecting children in the digital age. They will join Richard Guerry, an American-based advocate for responsible use of digital technologies, and lawyers Brian Bowman and Jonathan Rosenthal, who will speak to online privacy and Internet regulation issues, respectively. Background on the event and panelists can be found here: http://www.beyondborders.org/wp/media- awards/symposium-2/.

Carol Todd is using her presence in Winnipeg to continue her awareness raising activities at a live streamed video presentation at Sisler High School on November 19. Schools from across the country and in the US will participate in this interactive event, put on by the SoapboxEd program. Beyond Borders ECPAT Canada is pleased to have made this opportunity possible.

About the Rosalind Prober Award for Advocacy

The Rosalind Prober Award for Advocacy is given to citizens who have made a difference on the issue of child sexual exploitation by undertaking advocacy initiatives. Rosalind Prober is the co-founder and president of Beyond Borders ECPAT Canada. Past recipients include former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy.

About Beyond Borders ECPAT Canada

Beyond Borders ECPAT Canada is a national non-profit organization advancing the rights of children everywhere to be free from sexual abuse and exploitation. It is the Canadian representative of ECPAT International, a global network of more than 81 groups in 74 countries, and the Canadian representative for the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism. www.beyondborders.org

Contact: Deborah Zanke, (204) 880-4509

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