Two Artists. One Mission. Ending Child Sexual Violence.
I am a writer. Lara St. John is a world renowned violinist. We tell our stories through different art forms, but we are united by the same purpose. We are both survivors of child sexual violence and warriors committed to ending it through education, justice, and love. I had the privilege of attending the premiere […]
$11.5 Trillion
💲💲💲 Money Money Report 2026 Canada is losing $11.5 trillion because we have never fully counted the lifetime economic cost of child sexual violence. That is 8.5 million survivors, each carrying a cost of $1.47 million, adjusted to Canadian dollars. Women bear the majority of the burden, and the economy still undervalues their work. Despite […]
A Systemic Crisis We Keep Refusing to Name: Sexual Violence is Everywhere
Click here for the full media story At what point do we stop treating sexual violence as isolated incidents and start recognizing it for what it is a systemic crisis? It is everywhere. And yet again, this victim had to wait to step forward, just as so many children are forced to wait in silence, […]
The Hidden Numbers: Child Sexual Violence and Canada’s Justice Gap
The Hidden Numbers: Child Sexual Violence and Canada’s Justice Gap My nephew has been sitting in Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay for almost six months for stealing two cars. Triple time. Meanwhile, his grandfather, my dad, served two months for raping a child. That’s the system in action. That’s what Canada values. Property gets […]
Reflections: The Gatehouse’s Transforming Trauma Festival
The title of this festival was bang on. After three days at the Transforming Trauma Together Festival, I did not just learn about ending child sexual violence. I felt the possibility of it. I felt what can happen when survivors stop carrying shame that never belonged to them and start finding community, voice, art, truth […]
Dear Lara Review: Beauty in the Pain
Dear Lara’s Canadian premiere was, in a word, SPECTACULAR! Canadian Lara St. John’s documentary uncovers a world of horror and grief for children in the classical music industry. From a young age, she toured the world, performing in the most prestigious venues for some of the most influential audiences, while also surviving child sexual violence […]
Scotland Leads the Way
Hey Canada, it’s time to learn from Scotland on how to protect our children from sexual predators. Scotland is leading the way in the fight against child sexual violence. They have enshrined children’s rights into law, recognizing that protection is not optional, it is a responsibility. Children’s Rights in Scotland Every child deserves to be […]
40 Day Celebration of Life
This is a beautiful way to honour someone you have lost and celebrate their life over the course of 40 days. When I lost my brother, my counselor shared an idea that had once been given to her after she lost someone she loved. It was called a 40 Day Celebration of Life. The idea […]
The Return of Macassa: Cootes Paradise
Glorious day at Cootes Paradise in Hamilton with my pal Marybeth. Hard to believe this area was once treated as a dumping ground and industrial sewer for the steel industry. After many of the factories moved offshore in the 1980s, the Federal and Provincial governments partnered with McMaster University and invested heavily in restoring this […]
Love My Granola
Coming up on seven weeks sugar free. The first month was not easy, but I’m proud of myself for sticking with it. Because of severe stress, I’ve dealt with brutal heartburn for a few years now. My doctor wanted me on medication for life. I decided before I signed up for that, I’d try cutting […]