FAQs

Cybertip.ca is Canada's tipline for reporting online sexual exploitation of children and youth. We receive reports from the public through our website as well as via our toll-free telephone number.

Our analysts review all reports and forward those that pertain to a potentially illegal incident to the police. Reports involving children potentially in need of protection are forwarded to child welfare. These reports have resulted in numerous children being removed from abusive environments and at least 75 arrests to date. We receive, on average, 700 reports each month.

The data we collect from the reports we receive also informs research into emerging trends and risks of sexual exploitation in the online environment. We use this research to create educational materials and public awareness campaigns as well as to inform legislators and policy makers about the issue.

Cybertip.ca was officially launched as Canada's national tipline in 2005. It is a program of The Canadian Centre for Child Protection, an organization that grew out of a provincial missing children's organization, Child Find Manitoba, which was incorporated in April 1985.

From the home office of Cybertip.ca in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we maintain close relationships with provincial governments and law enforcement agencies across Canada.

Cybertip.ca has close working relationships with law enforcement and child protection agencies across Canada. When reports to Cybertip.ca indicate that a child is at risk of abuse, we report what information we have to the appropriate authorities, who then carry out any applicable investigation.

Cybertip.ca also maintains close relationships with other non-profit and NGO organizations working in the area of child protection. We collaborate with these organizations regularly.

The Criminal Code of Canada includes laws set out to protect children from child abuse. Each province also has legislation enabling its child welfare authorities to take protective action if a child is being abused at home.

For more information on child abuse in Canada, visit the Department of Justice Canada website.

To learn more about specific laws against the sexual exploitation of children online visit our Report Types page.

Cybertip.ca receives funding support from the Government of Canada, provincial government partners as well as private sector sponsors. Citizens who wish to make private donations may do so at https://www.cybertip.ca/app/en/donate.

Kids in the know is a national safety program to empower children and reduce their risk of victimization.

It focuses on building self-esteem by teaching problem-solving skills and uses a community-based approach to raise awareness of child safety and protection strategies.

The program includes a curriculum for teachers as well as additional materials with information about handling disclosures of abuse, training programs, books and puppets, games and online activities for families.

Commit to Kids is a program to help organizations create safe environments for children.

It provides policies, strategies, and a step-by-step plan for reducing the risk of child sexual abuse, encouraging organizations to take an active, participatory role in protecting children in their care. We know that child-serving organizations are vulnerable to attracting employees/volunteers who want to access and sexually abuse children. They are also vulnerable to attracting individuals who become attached to a child they work with, break boundaries with the child and engage in sexual offending behaviours. Commit to Kids is designed to address the specific risks that child-serving organizations face.

MissingKids.ca is Canada’s one-stop resource and response centre dedicated to the search for missing children. The program offers families support in finding their missing child and provides educational materials to help prevent children from going missing.

If you know or suspect a child is being sexually exploited online, report it to Cybertip.ca.

Talk to your friends and family about the risks of online sexual exploitation and help them to become informed by telling them about Cybertip.ca.

Make a gift of financial support to Cybertip.ca so that we can continue to provide the best service possible to protect children and youth from online sexual exploitation.

Simply contact us if you are interested in volunteering and we'll help you find a role that's right for you.

Visit the Kids in the Know and the Commit to Kids websites to learn more about child protection.

If you know/suspect a child is being abused right now, call 911 or your local police.

If you believe a child may have been sexually exploited/abused via the Internet, report it to Cybertip.ca.

If you believe a child may be the victim of abuse in his/her home, contact your local child welfare authority (e.g. Family and Child Services, Children's Aid Society).