Niagara program reports spike in online youth luring cases

One year after Niagara’s Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre launched its Child Victim and Witness Program, the centre is seeing a rise in online luring cases involving multiple young victims.

The centre works alongside Niagara police, serving children and youth who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, neglect, online luring or exposure to violence.

When criminal charges are laid and a case moves to court, this program steps in to provide each young person and their family with a dedicated support worker who shares information about what to expect during the court process.

The support worker will also accompany them to court and advocates for their needs at a time that can be quite intimidating and emotionally overwhelming.

The Niagara Region continues to experience a significant increase in court cases involving online luring due to offenders having powerful new AI tools to deceive, manipulate and threaten children through convincing fake identities or augmenting pictures and videos.

READ MORE: Centre renamed in honour of Kristen French

Joanne Macri, director of the Child Victim and Witness Program says the effects on victims in luring cases can be especially complex and long-lasting, with many young people feeling ashamed that they were manipulated or even blaming themselves.

Between June of last year and July of this year, 127 cases have been referred to this program involving 191 youth victims.

While 91 of these cases continue, 36 have been closed.

“Our role is to remove that shame, reinforce that they are not responsible and make sure they have a trusted advocate throughout the justice process,” Macri says.

WATCH MORE: Support the Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre at Bravehearts Gala