Re: Child maltreatment

Issue: BCMJ, vol. 46, No. 5, June 2004, Page 217 Letters
By: Roger S. Tonkin, MDCM, FRCPC, OBC

The Journal is to be commended for its excellent two-part theme issue on child maltreatment, and Dr Marie Hay’s article, “Commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth” (BCMJ 2004;46(3):119-122) is particularly timely and should help to increase physician awareness of this oft-overlooked form of child abuse.

I would like to draw my colleagues’ attention to a more recent initiative not mentioned in Dr Hay’s list of BC resources. This is the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth (CSEP) program of the McCreary Youth Foundation (MYF). This initiative provides funds to community-based, nongovernmental organizations for projects in their own region of BC (see www.myfoundation.ca).

The MYF is a new organization and its program uses a multidisciplinary, multisectoral positive youth development approach with emphasis on early intervention in early adolescents. Its work is guided by a provincial CSEP Advisory Committee that assesses applications that address community awareness, prevention and education strategies, family support, and exiting initiatives. The project secretariat identifies gaps in provincial programs (e.g., for aboriginal youth, for parent support, and for males). Any BC organization may apply for funding and readers are referred to the foundation web site for application forms and submission details.

—Roger S. Tonkin, MD
Managing Director, McCreary Youth Foundation

Roger S. Tonkin, MDCM, FRCPC, OBC. Re: Child maltreatment. BCMJ, Vol. 46, No. 5, June, 2004, Page(s) 217 - Letters.


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