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

Method

To create an inventory of existing specialized services and to identify gaps, the authors used three sources/methods:

Interviews with CYAC personnel were sought because they are in a unique position to offer programs and services that address the specific needs of victims and survivors of online CSEA due to the co-location of different services. CYACs address trauma treatment needs from the initial investigation to preparation for court. They are also dedicated to working with young people who are victimized by abuse and exploitation, although mostly not online. Further, the network of CYACs in Canada is expanding. Some provinces and territories have well-established CYACs or even multiple CYACs at various stages of development, and others are soon to acquire them. This network supports each individual CYAC as a hub for services for young victims, and can serve as a resource for training and knowledge dissemination for service providers.

At the beginning of the project, the research team attended a national CYAC network meeting in Toronto, hosted by Boost CYAC, to inform network members about the study. With the assistance of the Department of Justice Canada, 97 contacts from provincial and territorial victim services and CYACs were sent an email solicitation and a recruitment flyer inviting them to participate in the project. Of those contacted by email, 29 responded. After various email and telephone attempts to ensure participation of all provinces and territories, interviews were completed with representatives from a total of 17 Canadian support service organizations including: 8 CYACs (2 in Alberta, 1 in British Columbia, 1 in Manitoba, 2 in Ontario, 1 in Quebec, and 1 in the Yukon); 7 provincial victim services programs (1 in British Columbia, 1 in New Brunswick, 1 in Newfoundland, 1 in Nova Scotia, 1 in Ontario , 1 in Prince Edward Island, and 1 in Saskatchewan); 1 community agency in New Brunswick; and, 1 national not-for-profit-organization in Manitoba. No representatives of organizations in the Northwest Territories or Nunavut could be secured for an interview. In the Yukon, CYAC and victim services representatives are located within the same organization, so one combined interview was conducted. The following table lists the specific organizations participating in interviews.

Table 1 - Participating Organizations
Province Organization
Alberta Calgary & Area Child Protection Centre
Zebra Child Protection Centre
British Columbia Boundary and Regional RCMP Victim Services
Victoria Child and Youth Advocacy Centre
Manitoba The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P)
Victoria Child and Youth Advocacy Centre
New Brunswick Victim Services – Community Service Unit, Public Safety
Family Plus/Life Solutions, Inc.
Nova Scotia Victim Services, Court Services Division, NB Dept. of Justice
Newfoundland and Labrador Victim Services – Dept. of Justice and Public Safety, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Ontario Victim Services – Policy, Program Design & Evaluation, Ministry of the Attorney General
Boost CYAC
Cedar Centre
Prince Edward Island Victim Services – Department of Justice and Public Safety
Quebec Fondation Marie-Vincent
Saskatchewan Victim Services – Community Safety and Well-Being, Integrated Justice Services
Yukon Project Lynx

All interviewees were asked the same 12 questions [listed in Appendix A (English) and B (French)]. Of the 17 interviews, 14 were conducted via telephone while the researchers took notes to record responses; the other three interviewees filled out the questions in writing. A summary of the general findings is included below, and more detailed profiles of services described in the interviews for each participating province or territory can be found at Appendix C.