By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement (FSE-CSQ) has launched a new set of educational tools aimed at preventing the sexual exploitation of minors. Developed in collaboration with White Ribbon and other partners, these ready-to-use learning scenarios provide Quebec teachers with concrete resources to address the issue in classrooms.
Isabelle Tremblay-Chevalier, professional and pedagogical advisor at FSE-CSQ and responsible for the Ruban Blanc initiative, explained March 14 that the project emerged from White Ribbon’s broader campaign to combat violence against women and marginalized groups. The campaign received funding from a Canadian organization, and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, which did not have Quebec-based representatives, reached out to the CSQ to ensure Quebec-specific tools were developed.
“We worked for two years with a local teacher to adapt content to the Quebec context,” Tremblay-Chevalier said. “At the end of the project, we had eight learning and evaluation scenarios that secondary school teachers can use in class.”
These scenarios align with Quebec’s Culture and Citizenship in Quebec (CCQ) program, which is now implemented in all schools across the province. According to Tremblay-Chevalier, teachers often lack sufficient resources for CCQ, especially at the secondary level. The newly developed tools help fill that gap, particularly in areas related to sexual education.
Addressing a growing issue
The push to create these resources comes as awareness of sexual exploitation continues to grow. Several national and provincial commissions have examined the issue, particularly in relation to Indigenous women and minors. Tremblay-Chevalier noted that while the problem itself may not necessarily be increasing, the willingness to acknowledge and document it has.
One of the learning scenarios focuses on online safety, including human trafficking for sexual purposes and how students can protect themselves in digital spaces. “This scenario takes about three class periods and helps students understand the risks they face online,” she said. Other topics include developing healthy relationships, understanding consent, and intervening as a witness to violence.
“There is a strong preventive aspect,” Tremblay-Chevalier added. “We’re not just reacting—we’re educating young people, including boys, about what constitutes sexual violence and how to recognize it.”
