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NEWS RELEASE:

Toronto Mayor David Miller launches Child Abuse Prevention Month; encourages community to take action

Toronto-based Children’s Aid Societies hold 3rd Annual Use Your Voice Challenge to highlight ‘Duty to Report’

October 1, 2008 (TORONTO, ON) – In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, Toronto Mayor David Miller will use his voice today in support of the city’s four Children’s Aid Societies to launch the 3rd Annual Use Your Voice Challenge at the Eaton Centre in Toronto. Designed to encourage the community to report instances of child abuse and neglect, the Use Your Voice Challenge will feature local media personalities and government officials.

Participants in this friendly challenge will shout various child abuse prevention messages, speaking as loudly as possible into a decibel-measurement device to determine who has Toronto’s strongest voice against child abuse. M.J. DeSousa, vice president and chief audiologist at ListenUP! Canada, will measure the volume output to determine today’s winner.

“As a community, we all have a responsibility to use our voices to help stop child abuse,” said Mayor Miller. “Our children are important — they are our future — and we have to support our community to stand up and make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable children. I challenge and encourage all Torontonians to act and help stop the cycle of silence by giving these children a voice.”

Studies show that while citizens support the work of Children’s Aid Societies, almost half indicate a significant reluctance to report even the suspicion of child abuse or neglect. Reasons for not reporting include fear of retribution, not knowing where to call, a lack of understanding of what constitutes abuse, and the belief that it is ‘not my business.’

"Reporting child abuse is never easy, but vulnerable children are counting on all of us. The community has to act as the eyes and ears of local Children’s Aid Societies in reporting and preventing child abuse and neglect,” said David Rivard, Executive Director, Children’s Aid Society of Toronto.

“The duty to report child abuse is unmistakable. If a person has reasonable grounds to suspect that a child may be in need of protection, the person must report the suspicion to a Children’s Aid Society,” said Mary McConville, Executive Director, Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto.

The Use Your Voice Challenge was created to inform, educate and remind people of their obligation to protect the innocence and safety of Toronto’s children and is now being replicated in various communities across the province. The Stand Up For Kids Award, an award given to a local member of the community in recognition of his significant contribution to protecting youth from abuse and neglect, will be presented later this month.

Other local personalities and government officials scheduled to participate include:

• Anne-Marie Mediwake, Global News Anchor, Global TV
• Antony Robart, Global News Reporter, Global TV
• Pooja Handa, CP24 Anchor, Weather/Traffic Specialist
• Jill Dempsey, Host, CBC’s Metro Morning
• Laurel Broten, M.P.P., Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
• Michael Thompson, Toronto City Councillor, Ward 37, Scarborough Centre
• Chin Lee, Toronto City Councillor, Ward 14, Scarborough, Rouge-River
• John Parker, Toronto City Councillor, Ward 26, Don Valley West

The provincial Use Your Voice awareness campaign will also be launched today in Toronto. The campaign will feature newspaper, magazine, outdoor, digital, radio and TTC ads, along with ads placed in selected healthcare waiting rooms. The campaign also features an online resource, www.useyourvoice.ca. The campaign web site provides information about the signs and indicators of physical, sexual and emotional abuse including neglect, and how to contact a local Children’s Aid Society.  PSAs will be broadcast on two Toronto radio stations, starting today.

Over the past year, Toronto Children’s Aid Societies have investigated more than 10,000 cases of suspected child abuse or neglect, and provided care for more than 40,000 area children.

For more information, please visit www.useyourvoice.ca or contact:

Anne Rappé
Manager, Communications
Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto
(416) 395-1506
a.rappe@torontoccas.org

Learn more about positive parenting and child abuse prevention at useyourvoice.ca and by downloading our pamphlet here.