Gaps Remain in Understanding Online Child Sexual Exploitation, Public Safety Canada Says

The fact that boys are victimized is often overlooked, report finds

A woman uses her computer keyboard to type while surfing the internet in North Vancouver in a file photo. (The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward)

There remain “important gaps” when it comes to better understanding and combating online child sexual exploitation (OCSE ), Public Safety Canada says in a report that draws on findings from a series of forum discussions it hosted on the topic.

Such gaps include the lack of understanding of specific issues like the prevalence of OCSE from within a child’s circle of trust, or the sexual exploitation of boys, the department said, citing ECPAT International, a Thailand-based non-for-profit dedicated to ending the sexual exploitation of children.

“There remain important gaps in better understanding the crime of OCSE, the perpetrators who use online spaces to lure and abuse children, and the experiences of children in the online spaces that they frequent,” states the report, released by Public Safety Canada on July 31.

“ECPAT recognizes that, despite girls being over-represented as victims of OCSE, boys have historically been overlooked by programs aimed at protecting children or supporting victims.”

ECPAT noted that among its network of 124 organizations, less than five are solely focused on situations where boys are the victim of OCSE.

The report summarized a three-part webinar series that Public Safety conducted between 2022 and 2023 to explore the issue. The department has worked in collaboration with Justice Canada, the RCMP, and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection in leading the National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet since its launch in 2004.

‘Not Slowing Down’

The RCMP warned in a statement issued in May that the number of reported online child exploitation incidents has steadily increased over the past few years, and the trend is showing no signs of diminishing.

“While reports of online child exploitation rose dramatically during the COVID pandemic, which caused many to stay in their homes, police have since seen that upward trend continue,” the Mounties said.

According to the RCMP, in 2021 the authorities received over 4,600 total reports, a number that more than doubled in 2022, with over 9,600 total reports received. The situation remains concerning in 2023 as well, with the number of reports during the first three months already surpassing 5,790, indicating a worrisome upward trajectory in OCSE cases.

It noted that these statistics underscore the urgent need for continued vigilance and concerted efforts to curb OCSE to protect the vulnerable from harm in the digital landscape.

“If that rate holds, reports could more than double again for 2023 over last year,” the RCMP said.

Cathy Peters, author of “Child Sex Trafficking in Canada and How to Stop It,” echoed this finding in a recent interview with The Epoch Times. Ms. Peters cited a movement to normalize pedophilia and selling sex as promoted in some academic circles, which she said is having a real-world impact on efforts to fight child trafficking.

Technological Tools

During Public Safety Canada’s webinar discussions, experts highlighted the use of artificial intelligence as a tool to combat OCSE, with discussions focusing on the delicate balance between privacy concerns and the need to protect children, particularly concerning the involvement of the digital industry and technology providers.

“One of these concerns is that technologies make mistakes that can only be corrected by human review and validation,” Public Safety said. “Another concern is that misinformation exists surrounding how technologies affect users when measures to combat OCSE are implemented.”

The department said there needs to be more accountability on the part of the digital industry.

“To address these questions, the digital industry needs to be held accountable when material is uploaded and distributed on their platforms, especially when removal notices have already been issued,” it said.

“The goal is to move from apathy to action so that the industry can take preventative measures in removing material before it is downloaded and further circulated.”

One of the webinars, held in January 2023, shed light on the organized and targeted nature of “sextortion” and emphasized the importance of tailored information and resources for preventing and combating this crime.

According to Public Safety Canada, sextortion involves blackmailing individuals with threats to distribute explicit content unless they pay or provide more sexual material. Financial sextortion, affecting mostly boys aged 15 to 17, involves demands for money to prevent distribution. Sexual sextortion, affecting mostly girls aged 13 to 14, demands more explicit material in exchange for not distributing existing content.

The third webinar, held in February, focused on the role of civil society organizations and academia in fighting OCSE. Experts stressed the significance of research and knowledge-sharing in understanding and responding to the evolving online threats.

Lee Harding contributed to this report