Child exploitation experts say they91裸聊视频檝e detected a spike in reports of online 91裸聊视频渟extortion91裸聊视频� cases involving teen boys.
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection says 65 boys reported incidents to Cybertip.ca in 2015-16 91裸聊视频� an 89 per cent increase from the previous two-year period of 2013-2014. Reports involving girls jumped 66 per cent.
While 65 male victims may not seem like a large number, executive director Lianna McDonald says the jump clearly establishes that boys are increasingly at risk of online threats.
91裸聊视频淲e need to pay attention regardless,91裸聊视频� McDonald says from Winnipeg, where the centre is based.
91裸聊视频淲e know the seriousness of it. This isn91裸聊视频檛 necessarily all about quantity, it91裸聊视频檚 about severity.91裸聊视频�
What91裸聊视频檚 not clear is the reason for the increased reports.
91裸聊视频淚s it that they91裸聊视频檙e more aware of who we are to report? Is it because it91裸聊视频檚 a growing problem?91裸聊视频� she asks. 91裸聊视频淭he marker on this one is we didn91裸聊视频檛 really have it before. And not only are we hearing about it but now we91裸聊视频檙e hearing about it from other agencies also, which corroborates something different.91裸聊视频�
As a result, the centre launched its first awareness and prevention campaign for young males on Tuesday.
It uses humour to reach boys with a bizarre-looking mascot 91裸聊视频� the hairless, pink-skinned naked mole rat. The creature is meant to spark conversation and offer an alternative image boys can send when asked for nudes.
The unconventional approach is a bid to 91裸聊视频渃ut through the clutter for an audience that91裸聊视频檚 not paying attention,91裸聊视频� says McDonald, adding that fear-based campaigns don91裸聊视频檛 seem to work with boys.
The group launched a website offering confidential online help, as well as information for boys, educators and parents looking for ways to start the conversation.
Overall, reports to Cybertip involving both genders jumped 140 per cent between 2015 and 2016.
The officer in charge of the Toronto police91裸聊视频檚 child exploitation section says boys are victims of sextortion 91裸聊视频渨ay more than people out there think.91裸聊视频� He recalled one offender who admitted to tricking more than 1,200 boys into becoming victimized.
91裸聊视频淎ll of these boys thought they were sending these (images) to a girl their age,91裸聊视频� says acting Det-Sgt. Paul Krawczyk.
91裸聊视频淚magine the ones we91裸聊视频檙e not catching and then imagine the ones that we don91裸聊视频檛 know about.91裸聊视频�
Parents should warn their sons: experts
He urged parents to warn sons of the danger, and point out that girls typically don91裸聊视频檛 ask to see explicit images.
Girls still remain the bigger target of online predators, adds McDonald.
While boys tend to be targeted by unknown adults overseas, girls are exploited in a variety of ways.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 the non-commercial side to it where you91裸聊视频檝e got kids, for malicious reasons, who are blackmailing girls for more photos so they can share it,91裸聊视频� says McDonald.
Youth sending nudes. Learn why they do it, some potential impacts and what you can do to help them:
91裸聊视频� Protect Children (@CdnChildProtect)
91裸聊视频淵ou also have things like the Amanda Todd case, very notorious scenarios where you have adult men who are again capturing them on video doing things. And they91裸聊视频檙e not necessarily appreciating who they91裸聊视频檙e talking to and they think they91裸聊视频檙e in some sort of actual relationship. It91裸聊视频檚 much more diverse for girls.91裸聊视频�
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Boys are often targeted by strangers who send them pre-recorded videos of young girls and urge them to reciprocate, says McDonald.
This mostly involves 13- to 15-year-olds, who can become suicidal as pressure mounts.
91裸聊视频淲e have young kids phoning us and saying: 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 supposed to make a payment at Western Union by 6 o91裸聊视频檆lock or they91裸聊视频檙e going to send my picture or my video to all of my friends and family and I91裸聊视频檓 desperate,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� she says.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not difficult to appreciate that these kids are in over their heads. And because they91裸聊视频檙e so deeply humiliated about what91裸聊视频檚 about to happen and what they91裸聊视频檝e done, they91裸聊视频檙e panicked and they91裸聊视频檙e not sure what to do.91裸聊视频�
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection is a national charity dedicated to the personal safety and .
Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press
