Police, child advocacy groups warn of rise in online crimes against kids in Calgary this year

Calgary police say 2024 has seen an increase in reports of children and youth being lured online. With October being Child Abuse Prevention month, police and the Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre are raising awareness about online-facilitated child abuse and ways to prevent it.

Police say the goal of the month is to promote ways to keep child and youth safe, provide support and resources to kids and families impacted by abuse, and encourage those who have experienced abuse or who suspect a child is being abused to report it to police.

Luna and its partners, including Calgary police, support nearly 3,000 children, youth and families impacted by child abuse every year. Nearly three-quarters of these cases involve some form of sexual abuse.

So far in 2024, 932 kids have been supported at Luna.

Calgary police say child abuse can take many forms, but officers are seeing more reports from Calgarians around technology-facilitated abuse, particularly online luring involving children and youth.

Typically, online luring starts with some form of communication between the victim and an unknown offender, through social media, interactive gaming apps, or other online forums.

A relationship is then established and the victim begins to trust the offender.

Police explain the offender will often then ask the victim to meet in-person, where victims are then sexually exploited or sexually assaulted.

In 2023, 110 incidents involving child abuse with an online component have been reported.

Examples of online abuse can including viewing or sharing pictures, peer-based abuse, and online luring.

Of the incident reported this year, 73 per cent were girls and nearly 23 per cent were boys, and four per cent were gender diverse.

Victims were 17 years old or younger, and the average age of victims.

Children and youth can face challenges when it comes to reporting abuse.

Luna says it, along with its partners, are committed to breaking down barriers and creating a safe, supportive environment where victims and their families can share their experiences and be supported.

The organization works with police, Alberta Health Services, Children and Family Services, Alberta Justice, the RCMP, and a victim services team from one location to provide collaborative support throughout the disclosure, investigation, judicial, and healing process, so kids only have to recount their experience one time.

Safety tips from Calgary police

• Stay informed: Regularly discuss online activities and social media usage with your children.
• Be interested: Become familiar with the apps and platforms your child is using. Ask them questions about their favourite games or apps. If you don’t understand how it works, your children shouldn’t be using it.
• Privacy settings: Ensure privacy settings are enabled on all accounts, limiting who can see personal information.
• Stranger danger: Remind children to never share personal information or meet someone they met online.
• Report and block: Teach children how to report and block suspicious accounts or messages.
• Open communication: Foster an environment where children feel safe discussing any uncomfortable online interactions or letting you know if they are being exploited online.
• Children are never at fault: If an incident occurs and your child comes to you for help, do not blame them.

How to report abuse

Anyone who believes they are a victim of child abuse is encouraged to report it regardless of when it happened.

If you suspect a child is being abused, contact police at 403-266-1234 or tip anonymously through CrimeStoppers. If the child is in immediate danger, call 911.