Who we are
Beyond Borders is a national, bilingual, volunteer organization advancing the rights of children everywhere to be free from sexual abuse and exploitation. We are a registered charity without political or religious affiliation.
Beyond Borders is the Canadian affiliate of ECPAT International, a global network of more than 80 groups in 75 countries.
What we do
- Raise awareness
- Advocate for improved legislation
- Monitor court cases for human rights violations
- Promote/support effective prevention and intervention initiatives
- Intervene in court cases to provide a voice for victims
- Provide training and education
Our Beginnings
In 1996, Canadian government delegates, as well as representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) were invited to participate in the first World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Stockholm, Sweden.
Canada went into the conference believing that the biggest concern was Canadian offenders committing acts against foreign children. It became clear, however, that there were many Canadian children abroad who were victims of exploitation as well.
These children were beyond borders—being abused and neglected by foreigners, family members, and the system that was created to protect them. Policies within each government were as complex as the regulations between countries.
Two members of the Canadian delegation decided to do something to help these children. Rosalind Prober, an official observer invited by the Canadian government, and Mark Erik Hecht, a children’s rights lawyer, created a new NGO (Beyond Borders) to bring global justice to children everywhere.
In 1999 Beyond Borders was granted affiliate status with ECPAT International, the campaign to End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes.
Our Co-Founders
Rosalind Prober, Winnipeg, Manitoba
After becoming aware that sexual offenders against children can sexually abuse children abroad with impunity, including Canadian children, Rosalind started working in 1993 to close that loophole in the Canadian Criminal Code.
Her activism resulted in the “Prober Amendment” to Canada’s child sex tourism legislation (1996). This broadened the legislation to include all sexual crimes against children as extraterritorial crimes. Awareness of other inadequacies of the Criminal Code and as well as the gross violations of children’s rights to be free from sexual exploitation led Rosalind to found Beyond Borders in 1996 with children’s rights lawyer, Mark Eric Hecht.
Rosalind is also a founder of Canada’s national tipline to report online sexual victimization, cybertip.ca. As president of Beyond Borders, Rosalind has led the organization’s growth to become a bilingual, national, volunteer-driven nonprofit working to stop global child sexual exploitation.
In 1999, Beyond Borders became the Canadian affiliate of ECPAT International (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes), a worldwide NGO headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. Rosalind has served on the ECPAT board since 2005.
Rosalind has won many awards for her work to protect children. Her expertise and activism against child sex tourism, Internet luring, sexual abuse imagery (child pornography), sexual abuse in polygamy, commercial child sexual exploitation and trafficking has resulted in her being a regular presenter at conferences and in the media on all forms of child sexual abuse.
Mark Erik Hecht, B.A., DIA, LL.B. Ottawa, Ontario
Mark Erik Hecht is an academic, lawyer and human rights advocate. He is currently Visiting Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Common Law, prior to which he was Assistant Professor and Access to Justice Fellow at the University of Windsor.
Professor Hecht’s primary research interest is international child law, specifically the role and involvement of the private sector in the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Professor Hecht sits on the Canadian government’s Committee against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth and the Patron Board of the Alliance for the Rights of Children. He is the national coordinator for CINCYR: The Canadian Information Network on Child and Youth Rights and was on the Executive Committee of ECPAT International from 1999-2003. He is the Senior Legal Counsel to Beyond Borders.
Our Team
Success Stories
Our Policies
