With schools closed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, children across Canada have been at home for weeks — and they’ve had more time than usual to spend online.
As a result, Cybertip.ca, an online sexual exploitation of children tipline, says it saw a 66 per cent spike in reports in April compared to the three previous months.
Cyber exploitation is typically sexual in nature, and it can include anything from sexually suggestive messages to sending sexually explicit videos, or trying to lure a child offline to meet in real life.
The tipline processes reports from the public about potentially illegal material, including child pornography or online luring, and aims to act as a “triage” for law enforcement and child welfare,