The number of online child exploitation cases is skyrocketing, prompting warnings from police. Experts say the problem worsened during the pandemic and continues to rise, driven by children's increasing time online and the evolution of predators' tactics.
A man uses a computer keyboard in Toronto in a Sunday, Oct. 9, 2023 photo illustration. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme RoyOnline predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia.
Data show the problem spiked during COVID-19 when children began spending more time online — but rates did not wane as police anticipated after lockdowns ended.Const. Solana Pare is now warning exploitation of children is likely here to stay, as a technological race between police and predators gains momentum. 'Technology is becoming more and more available, and online platforms and social media sites are being used by children younger and younger, which provides an opportunity for predators to connect with them,' Pare said in an interview. Police say child exploitation cases in B.C. went from about 4,600 in 2021 to 9,600 in 2022 to 15,920 reports last year. The upwards trend is seen nationally, too. Statistics Canada says the rate of online child sexual exploitation reported to police rose by 58 per cent from 2019 to 2022, and police data show cases have continued to rise. The RCMP's National Child Exploitation Crime Centre reported that from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, it received 118,162 reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation offences — a 15 per cent increase compared with the previous year. Online child sexual exploitation, Pare explained, includes offences such as sextortion, child luring and the creation or distribution of sexually explicit images of a minor. 'We don't see these types of reports going away,' Pare said. 'We only see them increasing because the use of electronic devices and social media, and kids being online earlier and earlier is becoming more common. There's going to be more opportunity for predators to target children online.' Monique S
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