Intimate images of children being shared online skyrockets during pandemic

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Canadian Centre For Child Protection has seen an 89 percent increase in reports of intimate images being shared against the will of young people under the age of 18. The agency says they work in conjunction with local law enforcement to help the families impacted and pursue criminal charges.

“If what we’re dealing with is potentially illegal…the report, then we would forward that to the local agency (with) the jurisdiction over determining whether an investigation ensues or not,” says Noni Classen, director of education at the Canadian Centre for Child Protection “(we also) help reduce the availability of that content online,” adds Classen.

If you have a child who has an intimate image surfacing online, visit cybertip.ca/intimateimages.