Child sexual abuse is a difficult subject to discuss, but if children are forced to endure this abuse, we must listen and do everything we can to address it. It is our duty to shed light on this form of exploitation to transform misconceptions and illuminate the realities of this crime.
Production of child sexual abuse material in Canada:
A study of legal decisions from 2001 to 2019
Behind each image, video, or other recording of child sexual abuse is a real child. In Canada, it is a criminal offence to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Each act of CSAM production — and the subsequent sharing production enables — is a violation of a child’s right to dignity, privacy, and protection from harm.
It is the making of the image that starts the chain of re-victimization and allows for an online community of offenders to access, possess, and distribute CSAM in a seemingly endless cycle of abuse.
To address gaps in available information about the nature and scope of this crime in Canada, C3P’s legal team reviewed Canadian legal decisions issued between Jan. 1, 2001, and July 31, 2019, involving the production of CSAM. Through the uncovering of CSAM, those in the justice system are able to obtain information about the victim’s experience that may be difficult to ascertain directly from a child.
Read the Report
Key findings:
- 55% of offenders harmed more than one child;
- 85% of victims were girls;
- Offenders were most often someone the victim knew and trusted; and
- Victim impact statements revealed that an offender’s actions significantly affected victims and their families emotionally, physically, and economically.