RCMP hold info session on child pornography
CBC News
Posted: Apr 19, 2011 7:53 PM AT
Last Updated: Apr 20, 2011 12:25 AM AT
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RCMP in Moncton held an information session Tuesday aimed at getting parents involved in the fight against online child pornography.
Four people were arrested in an investigation last month. One of them, from Moncton, was charged with possessing child pornography.
Investigators say 51-year-old Douglas Hugh Stewart had millions of child sex abuse images at his home.
"It makes me nauseous, it gives me chills. It's very scary what's happening now. I just want to make sure I'm aware as possible on how to make her safe," said parent Tracy Arnand, who attended Tuesday's information session.
Laura Selig, who works with kids in an after-school program, said getting the message across to young people they're not as safe as they think, is the biggest challenge.
"[They say]'I don't believe you Mrs. Selig, I think I'm quite safe'. I said 'you're not' and it hard to get them to understand that this is not safe for them," said Selig. "I think it's going to take a long time for them to believe that."
Cpl. Jean-Marc Paré, Operations NCO of the J Division ICE unit, said many children don't realize that they don't know who they're chatting with.
"The message we need to get across is that you don't know who's sitting behind the keyboard at the other end," said Paré.
Paré said when it comes to the internet, the unknown is always a risk.
But parents should know the serious consequences children face, including sexual abuse and the re-victimization as images circulate around the world.
"It doesn't just happen overseas or other countries. It happens right here in New Brunswick. We have suspects here and victims here as well," said Paré.
New Brunswick ranks third in the country when it comes to the number of Google searches for child porn.
Eighty-five per cent of people who are caught with possessing child pornography have no previous record.
And the production and distribution of videos is now surpassing still images.
The RCMP investigate more than 40 cases of child pornography in New Brunswick every year.
But there are more cases than the police can keep up with.
That's why the RCMP want more parents to be aware and involved in their children's online activities.
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