BRITISH COLUMBIA
Crusader for the children
Diane Sowden of Coquitlam, a mother to eight, was recently recognized by the B.C. government for pushing to have the legal age of consent raised to 16 from 14, a cause that had its genesis in her own family crisis. She also owns her own business, and is running again for school trustee in next month's civic elections.
____
In 1993, Sowden and her husband were plunged into the horrors of child sexual exploitation when their 13-year-old daughter was recruited into the sex trade, became hooked on hard drugs and became pregnant. There was nothing Sowden could do about it and nowhere to turn for help. "She was on the streets with a lot of older people. It was emotional. It was totally overwhelming at times. It was isolating. I felt very judged. I heard comments like, 'Your child was on the street, she must have come from something worse.'"
Two years later, Sowden founded the Children of the Street Society, of which she remains the executive director. The non-profit registered charity educates thousands of children, parents and front-line workers across B.C. of the dangers of living on the street and about how sexual exploitation is child abuse as opposed to "bad kids" who made a choice to work as prostitutes.
Taking Care of Ourselves, Taking Care of Others offers peer counselling to children in schools where young adults, some exploited themselves, talk to youth about the dangers of partying, drinking and drugs, and warn them of the lures, including through the Internet, pimps use to get them and keep them on the street. "I wish someone had spoken to my daughter when she was that age," said Sowden. "Prevention is the focus and it's more effective than intervention."
For parents of children who have been sexually exploited or are being groomed, Sowden offers practical and emotional support. "We let them know what resources are available. We try to show them what works and what doesn't work. People like to talk to someone who's been in the situation so they don't feel judged."
Sowden was aghast to learn her daughter, when 14 and 15, the age at which pimps recruit girls, could legally consent to sex with an adult and live common-law. She lobbied to raise the age to 16, which the federal Conservatives did in May. "We were a strong voice in B.C. I didn't stop talking about it." She worked over the years with several federal politicians, including the late law-and-order MP Chuck Cadman, who brought her to Ottawa to present her petition with tens of thousands of signatures. "Nobody deserved more credit than Diane Sowden for helping to change the law," said James Moore, the incumbent Conservative candidate for the federal Tri-Cities riding. The B.C. government recently awarded Sowden the Crime Prevention and Community Safety Award, one of 19 British Columbians to be honoured at the 10th annual ceremony.
Sowden would like other changes: Unlike in domestic situations where police can lay charges against an abuser without a victim's statement, charges can't be laid against pimps caught with underage girls in their trick pads or a John picking up a girl in his car without a victim's statement. And although Sowden is reluctant to discuss another change because of fears it can be used to lock up or punish a child simply for being defiant, she would like to see as a last resort a B.C. law modelled after Alberta's Secure Care Act, which allows parents to confine children considered at risk and force them into treatment or remove them from exploitive or dangerous situations. "A child under the age of 16 addicted to street drugs should be taken into custody," as the law allows for mentally ill individuals, she said.
A school trustee for the Coquitlam board for the past three years, Sowden a few days ago filed her nomination papers for a second run at the position. "I'm very careful not to blend the roles, but everything I do in my life is connected with at-risk youth and special needs children." The board as a whole recently hired six outreach workers who will work with youth and families.
Sowden has eight adopted, foster and natural children who call her and her husband mom and dad, four of whom live with them, including two special needs grandchildren, 12 and 13. She owns a market research firm, staffed by others, and tries to fit in late-night runs on her treadmill. "I spend a lot of time with family and family activities, and I have a lot of good friends." Her daughter? "She's not doing very well at the moment."
Susan Lazaruk
12 October 2008
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=26734c02-dbc6-4d68-9006-58a374bdc1a1
