Special Report:

Conclusion

“We have an opportunity to stop the continual trauma experienced by victims of Internet-facilitated sexual abuse by treating these images as what they are—ongoing abuse.”

This report has identified a number of sizable gaps where children are falling through the cracks and offenders are gaining momentum. Each of these gaps represents an opportunity to act; to make positive change and to protect vulnerable children.

There is an opportunity to better communicate the horror of the problem by moving away from the term “child pornography” to more accurate terms such as “child sexual abuse images” or “child sexual abuse videos.”

We have an opportunity to help dedicated law enforcement professionals more effectively find the offenders and victims of these abuses by giving them the tools they need to pursue investigations—including the ability to obtain simple customer name and address information, to access computers that have been seized regardless of password protections or encryptions, and to provide support and resources to finding better and more efficient ways to analyze images.

In cases where law enforcement is able to identify and rescue victims, there is an opportunity to make a difference in victims’ lives by fostering a stronger understanding of their needs and responding with effective, victim-friendly services.

Finally, we have an opportunity to stop the continual trauma experienced by victims of Internet-facilitated sexual abuse by treating these images as what they are—ongoing abuse. By ceasing the disclosure of images and by making private sector ISPs more accountable, there is an opportunity to spare a child one more humiliation.

We request the Ministers of Justice, Public Safety and Industry and affected agencies to consider these opportunities and recommendations and to report back to the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime. We look forward to the Government’s action plan, detailing how it will move forward to enhance the protection of children.