Press Release
The Internet is becoming safer for children to chat with friends, do homework and play games.
Additional funding of $5.2 million over the next two years will support the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet which targets online child sex crimes, Internet luring and pornography.
This strategy allows undercover teams of police officers to monitor websites, chat rooms and newsgroups to identify suspected child predators and victims, and prevent further victimization. It also helps police investigators work with other agencies and jurisdictions to help apprehend offenders and assist victims.
“Keeping our children safe from Internet predators is a key priority of the McGuinty government. Internet luring is a despicable crime that warrants our full attention. Our provincial strategy puts Ontario at the leading edge in the fight against online child sex crimes and helping youth victims,” said Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Rick Bartolucci.
“Our most fundamental responsibility as a society is to protect our children from those who would do them harm. The OPP and the Ontario police services associated with the provincial strategy appreciate the Government of Ontario and this minister’s support of our efforts to hunt down child predators and eliminate the threat they pose to our children and our communities,” said OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino.
Since the provincial strategy was first implemented in 2006, nearly 4,800 investigations have been conducted and almost 2,000 charges have been laid against 634 people.
The Ontario Provincial Police coordinate the strategy with 18 police services including Barrie, Brantford, Durham, Sudbury, Guelph, Halton, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Niagara, Ottawa, Peel, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Waterloo, Windsor and York.
