Gap Analysis of Services for Victims and Survivors of Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Canada

Limitations

Data collection for this report involved particular limitations, in that most of the interviewees had not worked with many or any cases of online CSEA. Some were unaware of or unfamiliar with the nuanced and differential effects of online CSEA on victims while some had received training on the unique impacts on victims of online CSEA. None of the interviewees had received training or education that enabled them to provide guidance on how best to support victims of online CSEA in terms of specific court supports, therapy, or counselling. Interviewees often stressed these gaps in knowledge, services, and training, and persistently referred to the need for more evidence-based resources on best practice approaches. These findings are repeated throughout the report, which may appear repetitious but accurately reflects the results. A second limitation was the inability to secure the participation of interviewees in the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.