Cracking down on child abuse

This tragic case serves as a reminder that there are sick predators and the safety of children is constantly at risk, here at home, and abroad, with some Canadians implicated in the 'sex tourist' trade in parts of Asia. The abduction of an eight-year-old boy in broad daylight in the Quebec City suburb of Lévis about two weeks ago serves as Further proof that people need to be vigilant when it comes to the safety of children. Although the boy was harmed and tied up in a basement heating oil tank, an alert witness helped police rescue the boy about 35 minutes later. It also led to the arrest of a 50-year-old man.

However, Cedrika's family still doesn't know if she's alive or not.

While tougher penalties against pedophiles and child exploiters will not stop crime altogether, it would serve to protect society from keeping these perverts behind bars as long as possible. Authorities must make Canada a leader when it comes to battling child exploitation, from child porn to the sex trade. The victims in these cases are the most vulnerable members of our society and should be protected by the most stringent laws on the books.

When the Toopes were brutally murdered by three local teens in Beaconsfield in 1995 it led to an outcry for toughening up Canada's laws in regards to young offenders. When a police officer is killed on duty, some Canadians suggest the death penalty be brought back for these cases. While people are horrified to hear about child abduction and abuse cases, there doesn’t seem to be enough people or politicians calling for tougher laws or better enforcement of existing ones.

While we wait for a legal crackdown, people can better prepare their children and themselves to deal with would-be abusers or abductors. Children need to be educated on the perils that face them, from suitors on the Internet to dealing with strangers on the street. Security measures such as a buzzer to admit visitors at schools and the presence of a guardian before an elementary school child is sent home should be a must. Taking the time to get a child ID kit completed is also a good idea. West Islanders need not become paranoid about the safety of their children, but ignoring the dangers out there is not a smart practice. No one wants to face what Cedrika's parents have gone through this past year.