Police say incidents of online child exploitation continue to steadily increase. The need for protection to ensure predators do not exploit children’s vulnerability has never been greater.
Between September 22 and 26, 2025, 14 agencies from the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet (Provincial Strategy) focused on reports of children self-exploiting online. Police spoke with 282 impacted families and observed that the average age of the children generating the material was between five and nine years old.
The Provincial Strategy coordinates law enforcement partners across the province to combat child sexual abuse on the internet. Strategy partners share information, resources, and investigative techniques and coordinate on investigations.
“Our most fundamental responsibility as a society is to protect our children from those who would do them harm. The internet is part of daily life and offers many benefits such as learning and communication opportunities, especially for children; however, it often leaves children vulnerable to unsafe situations. Just as you wouldn’t leave your child alone in a city, don’t let them navigate the online world alone,” stated OPP Acting Detective Staff Sergeant Tara Clark, Provincial Strategy Coordinator.
Provincial Strategy members urge all parents to remain vigilant and to intensify their involvement to further strengthen the collective effort to protect children from victimization. Members of the public are invited to learn more about how to keep children safe at Canadian Centre for Child Protection or cybertip.ca.
Anyone with information regarding instances of child exploitation is asked to contact their local police. Report any instances of online child abuse to police or cybertip.ca. If a child is being harmed, call 9-1-1.
ABOUT SELF EXPLOITATION
Police services across Ontario are seeing a rise in incidents involving children unknowingly posting or sharing sexualized images of themselves online. Young children may not fully understand what is appropriate to post or share, and the risks and consequences they may be exposed to.
ABOUT THE PROVINCIAL INTERNET CHILD EXPLOITATION STRATEGY
The Provincial Internet Child Exploitation Strategy is comprised of the Ontario Provincial Police Child Sexual Exploitation Unit, 25 municipal police services, the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Ministry of the Solicitor General. The Provincial Strategy provides a unique, provincially coordinated effort recognizing regional needs and issues, as well as the challenges associated with geographically dispersed victims throughout Ontario.
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