Post-pandemic increase in child sexual exploitation 'not going away,' says RCMP
By Meagan Massad
Children and youth
RCMP Corporal Sharen Leung has been helping to catch online offenders for over seven years. She helps lead the Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia to track down and prosecute offenders.
Image by RCMP
October 3, 2024
Content
Online offenders took advantage of children who were largely at home and online during COVID-19, a period when online child exploitation cases significantly increased. But, experts say an anticipated decrease in post-pandemic abuse is not emerging.
According to RCMP Corporal Sharen Leung of British Columbia's Integrated Child Exploitation Unit (ICE), online child sexual exploitation cases are only growing, leaving children at a higher risk than ever before.
Cases on the rise
In British Columbia, online child sexual exploitation cases have more than doubled in the last two years. In 2023, their child exploitation unit received 15,920 reports of abuse, compared to 9,600 in 2022, and 4,600 in 2021.
This trend isn't limited to British Columbia; cases are on the rise across Canada. The RCMP's National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (NCECC), the central point of contact for investigations related to online child sexual exploitation domestically and internationally when the victim or offender is Canadian, has also seen a significant rise in cases. From April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, the NCECC received 118,162 reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation offences, a 15% increase compared to the previous year.
"The reports related to internet child exploitation have been consistently rising. It's a constant 365-days-a-year workload," says Leung. "This issue is not going away."
Tracking down offenders
Like other integrated child exploitation (ICE) units across Canada, British Columbia ICE works to identify and assist child victims of online sexual exploitation, and to identify and prosecute those responsible for the exploitation and those who access, produce, and traffic child sexual abuse materials.
Made up of RCMP officers, civilian investigators, digital forensic technicians, and analysts the unit receives most of its child exploitation reports through the NCECC, originating from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States, as well as the FBI, United States Homeland Security Investigations, Cybertip.ca and Crimestoppers in Canada, Interpol, and other international policing partners.
How the British Columbia ICE units work
Once the NCECC determines where an offender or victim is generally located, it sends the investigative package to the ICE team in that region or province for further investigation. An analyst with the unit then reviews the materials and determines the priority level of the case. Investigators prepare requests for judicial authorizations to obtain additional information from internet service providers to help further the investigation and locate/identify the person associated to the offence. This is complemented by various investigative techniques.
However, investigators face many challenges when investigating these crimes. Technological advancements make it more difficult to locate victims and offenders. Moreover, crimes committed on the internet cross into different jurisdictions, adding to the complexity.
"Things get difficult when offenders travel internationally, live from a trailer, or don't have an associated address and are always moving. Resolving an offence back to the offender becomes much harder - but not impossible," says Leung.
Luring on apps and gaming sites
With the growing demand for explicit child abuse content, opportunistic offenders will lurk on gaming sites or social media apps, where they are able to talk to children on gaming headsets and through direct messages. Many popular games and social media apps, including Minecraft, Roblox, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok provide a chat option.
According to Leung, savvy offenders know how to put their young victims at ease. Their conversations typically start off in a neutral way, then gradually become more sexual in nature. Offenders might request sexualized content from young people, which can escalate to sextortion, where victims are blackmailed into providing more explicit content or money.
"You never know for sure who you are engaging with. Offenders often misrepresent themselves as another young person, a tactic used to build trust and connection," says Kristin Duval, who works for the Sensitive and Specialized Investigative Services (SSIS) branch at the RCMP.
Yet, there are resources available to assist anyone who believes they are a victim of sextortion.
"We want young people to know that the police are here to support them. Police services around the world are united and are working together to fight against these crimes," says acting Superintendent Maxime St-Fleur, acting Officer in Charge of the National Child Exploitation Crime Centre.
Advice for parents
Parents are not powerless, either. In an online world where it is easy for strangers to strike up conversations with children, parents can start by having honest conversations with their kids about the risks of sharing their personal information.
"At minimum, it's important for parents to spot-check and have conversations with their children," says Leung. "Knowing who their friends are, who they are talking to online, and what platforms they're spending time on, are all awareness pieces that can make a world of a difference."
Need help?
Cypertip.ca provides information on staying safe online and how to report any concerns. You can provide your name and contact information, or complete the form anonymously.
Don't Get Sextorted has information on staying safe and getting help.
Need Help Now provides information on emotional support, reporting, helping a friend, and answering frequently asked questions.
Kids Help Phone can provide urgent support in terms of emotional support and steps on what to do next.
