Federal Funding to Combat Online Child Exploitation in BC

$35 Million Allocated for Police Units

Public Safety Canada has allocated $35 million over four years through the Federal Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime to support BC Police units that combat online child exploitation.

The funding will help police investigate and prosecute cases of online child sexual abuse, as well as provide support to victims and their families.

Surge in Online Child Sexual Abuse

The funding comes as police report a substantial increase in online child sexual abuse cases.

The INTERPOL Specialists Group on Crimes Against Children will hold a four-day meeting from March 14-17 to discuss global efforts and technical assistance to combat online child sexual exploitation.

Breakdown of Funding

• $15 million for the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit-BC (CFSEU-BC)
• $10 million for the BC RCMP Integrated Technological Crime Unit (ITCU)
• $10 million for other police agencies in BC

The funding will be used to enhance investigations, prosecutions, victim support, and prevention initiatives.

Importance of Funding

The funding is essential to combat the growing threat of online child exploitation.

By providing police with the resources they need, we can help protect children from abuse and bring offenders to justice.

According to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, one in five children in Canada will be sexually abused before the age of 18.

Online child sexual abuse is a serious crime that has devastating effects on victims and their families.

The funding announced today will help police combat this crime and keep our children safe.