Child & Youth Online Safety | Central Saanich Police Service

In response to an alarming rise in online exploitation cases, the newly created Greater Victoria Integrated Child Exploitation Team (GVICE), dedicated to combating online child exploitation, is asking youth and their caregivers to be on the lookout for suspicious activity and seek police assistance.

The GVICE Team warns that child exploitation offences continue to rise, and in addition to their pursuit of criminals, the team is sharing tips to help keep youth safe.

What is Sextortion

Sextortion is an online crime that is affecting youth across Canada, particularly those between the ages of 14-24. Sextortion can affect anyone no matter their gender, sexual identity or orientation. Everyone has a responsibility to protect youth and encourage them to speak out if they are being targeted. Being able to recognize sextortion is the first step.

Sextortion is a form of online blackmail where someone convinces you to send sexual images or videos of yourself, and then threatens to share them with others unless you pay, or send more images. They may threaten to share the content publicly on social media, or to send it to your friends and family.

Tips for Youth

Do not share personal information online, such as your full name, address, or school details.
Don’t talk about sex online or share images you wouldn’t want the world to see.
Use privacy settings on social media sites to limit who can see your personal information.
Turn off location services. Share your location with only those you know and trust.
Not everyone is who they say they are online. Only accept friend requests from people you know.

Tips for Caregivers

Talk casually to your teen about their online activity, so the topic becomes a regular part of your conversations.
Keep devices in busy family areas and out of bedrooms at night.
Talk about potential risks and ensure youth feel comfortable coming to you or another trusted adult with any suspicious activity.
Set strong privacy settings on all online platforms.
Implement age-appropriate parental controls to monitor and limit your child's online activities, preventing exposure to inappropriate content.
Monitor your child's online activity and discuss any new apps or websites they are using.
Help children develop critical thinking skills to recognize and avoid potential scams, phishing attempts, and other online threats.

If you have been targeted

Report the incident:
- Cybertip.ca allows you to report incidents anonymously
- Get help removing pictures from the internet at NeedHelpNow.ca
- Central Saanich Police Services, 250.652.4441
- The online platform on which the incident occurred

Getting help

These resources can provide emotional support, counselling, information and referrals.

Kids Help Phone: Call 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868
Need Help Now provides information and answers questions on emotional support, reporting, and how to help a friend
Indigenous Help Line: Call or text 1-855-554-4325
Hope for Wellness Helpline – for all Indigenous people across Canada: Call 1-855-242-3310 or chat online
Black Youth Helpline: Call 1-833-294-8650
LGBT Youth Line: text 647-694-4275 or livechat
Canadians across the country can now call or text 9-8-8 for immediate and free mental health crisis support and suicide prevention intervention

For more information on sextortion and how to protect youth online, visit the RCMP Sextortion Awareness page.

Statistics Canada reported in 2022 that police-reported extortion cases in Canada rose by nearly 300 per cent in the previous decade. More than 100,000 reports were received at the National Child Exploitation Crime Centre from 2023 to 2024. The offenses include sextortion, child luring, the creation or distribution of sexually explicit images of minors, and more.
In BC, a 12-year-old boy in Prince George took his own life in 2023 after being sexually extorted, or blackmailed, online.
The Greater Victoria Integrated Child Exploitation Team (GVICE) team is composed of specially trained members from Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Saanich, and Central Saanich. It also collaborates with the RCMP’s Provincial ICE team.
The GVICE Team works to identify offenders and advance charges, as well as deliver community outreach and education to prevent online child exploitation and support victims affected by these crimes.
The GVICE Team is supported by funding from the Federal Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime. Public Safety Canada allocated $3.5 million to bolster the efforts of municipal police departments in combating online child sexual exploitation.