Nova Scotia·NewA new survey of more than 1,200 teens who say they were sexually victimized online is providing insight into the extent of the problem in Canada.4 out of 5 respondents reported unwanted sexual talk onlineCBC News · Posted: Nov 29, 2025 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Monique St. Germain said predators often start a conversation on a public platform and then quickly move it to a private chat. (Photo illustration/CBC)A new study from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection is providing insight into the online dangers that Canadian teenagers are facing. Researchers surveyed 1,279 teens ages 13 to 17 who said they had experienced online sexual victimization. “This is very important data for us to pay attention to because these are the kids who maybe have not come forward before and told anybody about what has happened to them,” said Monique St. Germain, the general counsel for the centre.Speaking to CBC Radio’s Information Morning Nova Scotia, St. Germain said four out of five teens surveyed said they had experienced unwanted sexual talk online.St. Germain said this is often a grooming tactic.Monique St. Germain is with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. (Canadian Centre for Child Protection)She said predators will try to manipulate teens into sending images of themselves or put them in a position where they could be threatened.The study also found that half of the teens surveyed had been sent unwanted nude photographs.St. Germain said it was very common for these interactions to start on public social media apps and then move into private messaging, which makes it harder for the child to get help and for anyone to witness what is happening. The most common platforms for this abuse are Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook, she said.The research comes against the backdrop of a recent incident in Nova Scotia where a mother discovered her 14-year-old daughter had bypassed security on her school-issued Chromebook and been targeted by online predators.The woman, whom CBC News is not naming to protect her daughter’s identity, said her daughter was accessing inappropriate chats on Roblox and through her school email. Speaking to CBC News, the province’s education minister, Brendan Maguire, acknowledged that children are able to circumvent online safety measures.“I know even my own boy last year was able to get around it to play video games within the classroom,” Maguire said.Brendan Maguire, minister of education and early childhood development, taking questions from reporters following a cabinet meeting on Thursday. (Patrick Callaghan/CBC)St. Germain noted that online groups like 764, whose members coerce children into harming themselves and others, including engaging in sexual activity on camera, are another serious threat.She said the study’s findings show that Canada needs to do more and that relying on criminal law after a child has been hurt is not enough. She believes the government must create new laws to hold technology companies accountable for what’s taking place on their platforms. ‘We’ve got serious harm to children happening in multiple domains and we know this and the time for self-regulation is over.”MORE TOP STORIESWith files from Information Morning Nova Scotia
New study reveals extent and nature of online sexual victimization of Canadian teens
