One of the ads circulating as part of a new campaign launched by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and Winnipeg police. (HANDOUT)
WINNIPEG — A new social media campaign is being aimed at youth to educate them about what to do if an intimate image of theirs is shared online.
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection and Winnipeg police launched the campaign on Wednesday, Cybertip.ca Awareness Day.
“When a teen is in crisis because their intimate image is being shared, it can be devastating. We’ve lost too many kids who felt they had nowhere to turn,” said Signy Arnason, associate executive director at the Canadian Centre.
“It’s not enough to say ‘don’t send a nude’ — the reality is it is happening. We need to be working together to get teens the help they need when the situation gets out of their control.”
Every week, Cybertip.ca receives an average of seven requests for help from youth in crisis linked to the non-consensual sharing of a sexual picture.
Distributing an intimate image of another person without their consent is illegal in Canada. Under Manitoba’s Intimate Image Protection Act, the Canadian Centre is the designated organization to help Manitobans and provide support to those impacted by the non-consensual distribution of an intimate image.
Winnipeg police will be visiting schools in the coming weeks to present information and resources from the Canadian Centre to middle and high school classrooms on the sharing of intimate images.
Teens who find themselves the victim of intimate images shared online can report it by visiting cybertip.ca/intimateimages.
