Parents are being urged to have "honest and frank discussions" with their children about the dangers of sharing sexually explicit photos online after a 12-year-old Norfolk County girl sent pictures of herself to a stranger.
The girl's parents called Norfolk OPP earlier this week after finding out their daughter had shared the intimate images with an unknown individual through a cellphone app.
The incident has prompted police to remind parents about the importance of knowing what their children are doing online and talking to them about self-peer exploitation.
"Everyone needs to realize the long and short term dangers when requests are made to send out sexually explicit photographs. Those who distribute it also need to be aware of the criminal ramifications of doing so," Constable Ed Sanchuk said in a statement. "Once it's out there, you can't get it back and you should not be embarrassed to speak to police about your concerns."
According to the OPP, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of reports of young people being asked to send sexually explicit images of themselves over the internet. Police recommend parents speaking to their kids about the dangers of sharing such images download a few resources from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. The national charitable organization aims to reduce child victimization and offers literature to parents, educators, and teens.
Online sexual exploitation can also be reported through the centre's tip at Cybertip.ca.