1st Session, 42nd Parliament
Volume 150, Issue 194
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
The Honourable George J. Furey, Speaker
Child Cybersex Trafficking
Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: Senator Plett, I just want you to know it’s Rogers who owns the rights, not the CBC.
Honourable senators, I rise today to speak about the horrific industry of child cybersex trafficking.
Since 2012, more than 2 million minors were victims of cybersex trafficking in the global sex trade. Now, in 2018, six years later, this number is, sadly, steadily rising.
For over 30 years, I have worked to put an end to child cybersex trafficking. I am collaborating with International Justice Mission Canada, a hard-working non-profit that engages with authorities to rescue and rehabilitate victims of cybersex trafficking. I was with them in Calcutta when they were rescuing girls some years ago.
Of sixty countries, Canada ranks in the top three for hosting websites and images and selling material containing child sexual abuse.
In November 2017, nine children were rescued in the Philippines. Victims of sexual online exploitation, these seven girls and two boys were as young as two years old to nine years old.
Today, these children are now safe from cybersex trafficking after being rescued by the Philippines National Police in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies, supported by International Justice Mission, and acting on a referral from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The arrested suspect in the Philippines allegedly produced and sent sexually explicit images of very young children via social media to foreigners overseas in exchange for money, including one Saskatchewan man who was sentenced to twelve years in jail for his involvement in this crime.
Honourable senators, exploiting minors sexually and selling content online is a serious crime and is simply not acceptable. Our country plays a destructive role in endorsing child cybersex trafficking, but we in the Senate can play an even greater proactive role to end it.
Through the past months, I have sent packages to all members of Parliament and senators which contain information on the crisis of the destructive online sexual exploitation of children. Last Friday, I mailed a third package to keep raising awareness of cybersex.
Child cybersex trafficking cannot be forgotten. It must be stopped. The victims, as young as toddlers, cannot be forgotten.
Senators, I urge you to join me in displaying on your devices #NotOnMyScreen stickers included in those mailed packages.
Honourable senators, the young boys and girls around the world and in our country need our support. I ask for your support to raise awareness of this devastating crime.
Please join me in displaying your #NotOnMyScreen stickers and help put an end to child cybersex trafficking here in Canada and around the world.
Thank you.