Public Safety Canada Webinar Series 2022
Combatting Online Child Sexual Exploitation

Hosted by Public Safety Canada, 2022

Introduction

Public Safety Canada (PS) leads The National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet (the Strategy), launched in 2004, and works in collaboration with Justice Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P).

In 2022, PS hosted a three-part webinar series on combatting online child sexual exploitation (OCSE). The objectives of these webinars are to provide updates on what is being done within federal, provincial/territorial jurisdictions, civil society and the private sector to advance efforts in combatting OCSE; share information on best practices and lessons learned; as well as facilitate discussions around gaps and challenges related to this crime.

This report provides a summary of the 2022 Webinar Series: Combatting Online Child Sexual Exploitation. 

Webinar 1: Reporting Mechanisms, Tools and Emerging Trends in Online Child Sexual Exploitation (in collaboration with the RCMP), January 2022

Presentation 1: Online Child Sexual Exploitation: Opportunities and Challenges Related to Police-reported Data. Dyna Ibrahim, Analyst and Survey Manager, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics (CCJCSS), Statistics Canada

Presentation 2: Trends and Challenges in OCSE investigations.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (NCECC)

Presentation 3: Canada's Project SHADOW, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (NCECC)

Presentation 4: Modernizing Digital Investigations for OCSE Cases. Jad Saliba, Founder and CTO of Magnet Forensics

Webinar 1 Discussion Highlights

Webinar 2: Best Practices in Trauma-informed Care and Supports when Working with Victims of Online Child Sexual Exploitation (in collaboration with Justice Canada), February 2022

Presentation 1: Trauma- and Violence-informed Approaches: A structural and relational approach. Colleen Varcoe, PhD, RN Professor and Associate Director, Faculty Development School of Nursing, University of British Columbia

For more information on Trauma-informed care visit:

Presentation 2: Accompanying the Child Victim and their Parent through the Legal Process and Reducing the Risk of Secondary Victimization. Geneviève Boisvert-Pilon, M.A., sexologist and psychotherapist, Fondation Marie-Vincent

Presentation 3: Trauma-informed Child Forensic Interviews. Detective Constable Dayna Boyko, Toronto Police Service

Presentation 4: A Trauma-informed Approach in the Criminal Justice System. Suvidha Kalra, Crown Prosecutor, Specialized Prosecutions, Alberta Justice and Solicitor General Crown Prosecution Service

Webinar 2 Discussion Highlights

Webinar 3: Public Awareness and Research on Online Child Sexual Exploitation, March 2022

Presentation 1: Social Marketing Campaign on Online Child Sexual Exploitation. Erin Rogers, Marketing Manager and Julie Chan, Senior Communications Advisor, Public Safety Canada

Presentation 2: Awareness and Educational Resources on Online Child Sexual Exploitation. Noni Classen, Director of Education, Canadian Centre for Child Protection

Presentation 3: Online Child Sexual Exploitation: Offenders and Prevention Programs. Dr. Michael Seto, Director of the Forensic Mental Health Research Unit at The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research

Presentation 4: Study on the Availability of Child Sexual Abuse Imagery on the Internet. Jacques Marcoux, Director of Research and Analytics for the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P)

Webinar 3 Discussion Highlights

Conclusion

Public Safety Canada would like to thank the presenters and participants for sharing their valuable expertise, knowledge and experience on combatting online child sexual exploitation (OCSE). Without their contribution and participation, the 2022 webinar series on OCSE would not have been possible. 

A total of 611 participants attended this three-part webinar series. Participants included a cross-disciplinary audience of partners and stakeholders working on combatting OCSE including Canadian law enforcement, child-serving organizations, victim services and other non-governmental organizations, the education sector, and federal, provincial, territorial, and local governments.

Based on post-webinar survey results, 82% of participants said they gained a deeper understanding of emerging trends, current issues/gaps and best practices in the fight against online child sexual exploitation.  Furthermore, close to 80% of participants said the information provided during the webinar would help inform their current or future work.  This underscores the importance of sharing information, disseminating knowledge, and inter-jurisdictional collaboration in order to more effectively prevent online child sexual exploitation, prosecute offenders, and support individuals affected by these crimes.

The Government of Canada takes the issue of OCSE very seriously and is committed to working with Provinces/Territories, other levels of government, non-governmental organizations, digital industry and other domestic and international partners and stakeholders in combatting the complex crime of OCSE.

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