In celebration of the first International Day of the Girl, the Atlantic Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women joined students at MacDonald Drive Junior High School in St. John’s, NL to launch its Cybersafe Girl website.
The Cybersafe Girl website (www.cybersafegirl.ca) provides young girls, parents, caregivers and educators with information on how girls can experience violence and abuse on the Internet and what can be done to increase cyber safety.
“I am so pleased to be here today to launch this important new website for girls and their caregivers,” said Minister Valerie E. Docherty, Prince Edward Island’s Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. “Girls use social media to be creative, to communicate with friends, and to learn. Although social media can be quite useful, it can also have a negative impact on girls. One of the goals of this website is to help girls use social media in a safe way.”
According to 2009 Royal Canadian Mounted Police violent crime statistics, females were victims in 80 per cent of cases of luring minors over the internet for sexual purposes.
Atlantic Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women have committed to continue to work together to further awareness and increase cyber-safety for young girls.
October 11, 2012 marks the first International Day of the Girl, as declared by the United Nations.
“On this, the first International Day of the Girl, we are pleased to be highlighting the important issue of cyber-violence against girls in the Atlantic provinces, across Canada, and indeed, all over the world,” said Minister Charlene Johnson, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, and Host of the 2012 Atlantic Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women meeting. “This international day promotes equal treatment and opportunities for girls worldwide, including freedom from violence and abuse.”
The launch of the Cybersafe Girl website is part of the annual meeting of the Atlantic Ministers Responsible for the Status Women, where they work together and share expertise to advance the status of women in Atlantic Canada.