The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety:

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Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and advise that starting tonight, we will light the Confederation Building blue in recognition. This month, we are raising awareness about the issues facing child and youth victims of violence and drawing attention to the role everyone in the community has in helping keep children and youth safe.

As the Minister of Justice and Public Safety, violence prevention is extremely important and as a father, I believe keeping children safe is paramount.

Mr. Speaker, in this province between 2006 and 2012 more than 10,000 violent crimes were reported against children under the age of 18. This causes psychological, emotional and physical harm.

It is a top priority for our department and this government to ensure the justice system works for everyone, particularly victims. I’m pleased to say that our Victim Services program offers extensive support to child and youth victims of violence including referrals for counselling, safety planning, court preparation and assistance with completing Victim Impact Statements.

Mr. Speaker this month and every month, we are committed to do whatever we can to prevent child abuse.

Finally, I’d like to thank Ms. Bev Moore-Davis who continues to do outstanding work to help victims and survivors of child abuse with her organization Miles for Smiles. Ms. Moore-Davis knows first-hand what it’s like to be a survivor. It takes a lot of courage for her to put herself out there for this extremely important cause and we will do whatever we can to help her address these important issues.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.