1st Session, 42nd Parliament,
Volume 150, Issue 130
Thursday, June 8, 2017
The Honourable George J. Furey, Speaker
Cybersex Trafficking
Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: PasSurMonÉcran, NotOnMyScreen.
Honourable senators, I have worked closely with the International Justice Mission, a global organization pursuing a raging war against child cybersex trafficking. I have worked and travelled with the International Justice Mission and seen their work firsthand.
Cybersex trafficking is a type of sex trafficking that exposes all children globally to countless predators. Underage boys and girls, even toddlers, are forced to perform sexual activities in front of a camera. Cybersex has become a massive industry where small children bring in big profits.
Honourable senators, I know you agree with me that we will never accept cybersex of children.
The International Justice Mission has made progress toward ending cybersex. In the Philippines, over 1,275 victims were freed and over 145 sex traffickers were arrested. This is great work, but so much more needs to be done, even in our own country.
Let me tell you about Cassie. Cassie was one of the many children abducted and trapped against her will in the cybersex world. She was saved by the International Justice Mission at the age of 17, five years after her kidnapping. In her words:
It was really hard. I kept thinking “I want to die, I want to die” because of the pain, but I can’t. My recruiter hurt me every day when I do something bad that he didn’t like.
Cassie was subject to horrific sexual abuse and violence in front of a webcam. Among Cassie were other children. The youngest child was only two years old. Today Cassie is safe, but other children around the world are still suffering from cybersex trafficking. Pedophiles and child predators use the Internet to abuse children in homes.
Without a doubt, the Internet has a dark side. Children who are victims of cybersex trafficking don’t get to say no, but we do.
Honourable senators, I ask you to join me in raising awareness on global child cybersex and take action by proudly displaying a #NotOnMyScreen sticker or #PasSurMonÉcran.
This malicious, destructive crime cannot be allowed, not in Canada or in any country. French and English stickers have been provided by my office to your offices to put on your mobile devices and computers to raise awareness to stop cybersex.
Every minute we wait, a young child is forced to perform sexual acts live on camera. Together we can stop this horrendous crime. Honourable senators, I ask you to join me to help end child cybersex trafficking. I ask you to put the stickers on to raise awareness. #NotOnMyScreen, #PasSurMonÉcran.