Media availability: October is Child Abuse Prevention Month

October is Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Calgary Police Service and Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre are raising awareness about the growing concerns around online-facilitated child abuse and how to prevent it.
The goal of the month is to promote ways to keep children and youth safe, provide support and resources to children and families impacted by abuse, and encourage those who have experienced abuse or who suspect a child is being abused to report it to police.
Each year, Luna and its partners, which includes the Calgary Police Service Child Abuse Unit, support almost 3,000 children, youth and families impacted by child abuse, with approximately 75 per cent of the cases involving some form of sexual abuse. Since the beginning of 2024, 932 children have been supported at Luna.
Child abuse can take many forms, but we are seeing a significant increase in reports from Calgarians around technology-facilitated abuse, particularly online luring involving children and youth.
Typically, online luring starts with some form of communication between the victim and an unknown offender, through social media, interactive gaming apps, or other online forums. A relationship is then established, and the victim is led to trust the offender. The offender will often ask the victim to meet in-person, where victims are then sexually exploited or sexually assaulted.
In 2024, 110 incidents involving child abuse with an online component have been reported. Examples of online abuse can include image sharing and viewing, peer-based abuse and online luring. Of these incidents, 73 per cent of the victims were female, 23 per cent were male, and four per cent were gender diverse. Victims were 17 years old or younger, with the average age being 11.5 years old.
Safety tips:
The Calgary Police Service and Luna encourage parents and caregivers to be aware of your child’s online activity:
• Stay informed: Regularly discuss online activities and social media usage with your children.
• Be interested: Become familiar with the apps and platforms your child is using. Ask them questions about their favourite games or apps. If you don’t understand how it works, your children shouldn’t be using it.
• Privacy settings: Ensure privacy settings are enabled on all accounts, limiting who can see personal information.
• Stranger danger: Remind children to never share personal information or meet someone they met online.
• Report and block: Teach children how to report and block suspicious accounts or messages.
• Open communication: Foster an environment where children feel safe discussing any uncomfortable online interactions or letting you know if they are being exploited online.
• Children are never at fault: If an incident occurs and your child comes to you for help, do not blame them.
Breaking down barriers:
We understand children and youth may face many challenges when it comes to reporting abuse. Luna and its partners are committed to breaking down barriers and creating a safe, supportive environment where victims and their families can share their experiences of abuse and receive support.
At Luna, a team of experts including the Calgary Police Service, Alberta Health Services, Children and Family Services, Alberta Justice, the RCMP, and a victim services team, work together from one location to offer integrated, collaborative support throughout the disclosure, investigation, judicial, and healing process, so children only have to recount their experience once.
Reporting abuse:
Anyone who believes they are a victim of child abuse is encouraged to report it regardless of when it occurred. If you suspect a child is being abused, contact police or Crime Stoppers:
• Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger
• Call the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line: 403-266-1234
• Report through Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods:
o TALK: 1-800-222-8477
o TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
o APP: P3 Tips
About Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre:
Luna is one of nine Child and Youth Advocacy Centres (CYACs) in Alberta and 40 across Canada. Luna intervenes in cases of severe and complex child abuse that require an integrated, multi-system response. CYACs bring together multidisciplinary teams of experts from law enforcement, health, education, child protection and the criminal legal system to provide children, youth and their families with the support they need throughout their healing journeys. This model is a leap forward in child abuse intervention and prevention because teams can share information, expertise and resources in real time, ensuring vulnerable children don’t fall through the cracks.
Visit lunacentre.ca for more information.