Research: Statistics - Sextortion

Statistics

Through the operation of several programs including Cybertip.ca, NeedHelpNow.ca, and Project Arachnid, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) has a unique lens into the realities of youth online sexual abuse and exploitation. The following provides insights into historic trends of online victimization in Canada and abroad.

Sextortion

Sextortion is blackmail. It’s when someone online threatens to send a sexual image or video of you to other people if you don’t pay them or provide more sexual content. More information and resources about sextortion can be found at cybertip.ca/sextortion.

The following tables represent summary statistics of sextortion reports received by C3P’s Cybertip.ca and NeedHelpNow.ca programs, as well as other informal reporting channels to C3P.

2020-2025

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

1. 1 C3P’s public reporting channels do not require reporting persons to declare geographic information. The location details assigned to a report are based on information that is voluntarily declared by the reporting person. As a result, the location of a reporting person or victim is not known in all cases. ↩
2. 2 Although C3P’s mandate is focused on online sexual victimization involving individuals under 18 years of age, there are some situations where we receive reports from adult victims. For instance, the Intimate Image Protection Act in Manitoba designates C3P as the authorized agency for receiving and responding to requests for information or assistance from a resident of Manitoba who has been negatively impacted by Non-Consensual Distribution of Intimate Images — often in the context of a sextortion event. Other examples include adults reporting incidents that took place when they were minors. ↩
3. 3 C3P’s public reporting channels do not require reporting persons to declare demographic information. Information about the precise age of a victim is based on information that is voluntary declared by the reporting person. In some cases only a broad age group is known (e.g. minor vs. adult). In other cases, age-related information is not available. Due to the complexities of case management, some records reflect the age of the victim at the time the sextortion event took place, while other records reflect the age of the victim at the time of reporting. ↩
4. 4 C3P’s public reporting channels do not require reporting persons to declare demographic information. The gender details assigned to a report are based on information that is voluntary declared by the reporting person. As a result, the gender of the victim is not known in all cases. ↩
5. 5 Gender was not tracked until December 2020. ↩