Every day in this province, children and teens are being victimized in their communities and in the online world.
Forty years ago, the OPP joined forces with other police agencies to crack down on child sexual predators. The unit began with one OPP investigator and one from the then-Metro Toronto Police.
Originally referred to as “Project P,” it has become the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit.
Today, highly-trained teams from 26 police agencies work cooperatively with the OPP as part of the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the internet.
The strategy was created in 2006 in response to the need for a coordinated, province-wide approach to combat internet crimes against children.
As of Oct. 31, the OPP unit and members of the provincial strategy, have undertaken 5,065 investigations, and laid 1,350 charges against 383 people.
During that time, 106 victims were identified and referred to community support services.
“In their ongoing efforts to protect our children from those who would do them harm, police have remained focussed on education and awareness,” police stated in a press release.
“Parents and guardians need to educate themselves to keep children safe and keep internet predators out of our real and virtual communities.”
For more information for parents and those who have been victimized, visit the Canadian Centre for Child Protection at protectchildren.ca.
