I've lost count of the number of "child pornography bust, XX arrested" headlines I've read over the past few years.  I wasn't sure whether to write that I've read too many or not enough? I guess it's both - too many because it feels like a kick in the stomach for most of us to read over and over again of how many individuals in our own backyard seem to draw such pleasure from downloading images of young children being sexually abused. Again this week there were 31 of them caught by Ontario Police Services.

But then again, surely it's not enough because across the country, we know that 45,000 men are trafficking in computer images of young children being sexually abused and violated. Research consistently shows that 40 per cent of these men are also actively abusing kids, which means there are at least 16,000 child abusers across the country. It is staggering - so why aren't we catching more?   

The media reported broadly in the past week that one of the reasons is that Canadian Law Enforcement is "under resourced" so I ask myself, why aren't we giving them the resources they need?  I'm quickly reminded of my own experience working with law enforcement and Microsoft Canada to develop the Child Exploitation Tracking System. Through this work I met the most incredible police officers and got to see the realities of the resource challenges they face. These are extraordinary men and women who through their work see daily horrors that no human should. I'm reminded of how grateful I am to them, how grateful we should all be to them.

The challenges facing law enforcement are complex, they need more manpower directed at this issue, they need the right technology to get ahead of the bad guys, they need training and the tools to collaborate, they need the legal system to be on their side. They need government and the private sector to come together and help, not hinder them.  Most of all they need us as a society to start asking questions - which websites host child pornography sites and why? who processes payments for child pornography images and why? Why aren't sentences for those who sexually abuse children tougher - why? As a society we need to start demanding answers.

So as I reflect back on my original question - there are too many children being sexually abused and exploited online and as a society we're not doing enough.

Go to www.mothersonlinemovement.ca to see what you can do to help and or/join our Facebook cause page.

Paula Knight
Mothers Online Movement (MOM) Founder and
KINSA Advisory Board
www.mothersonlinemovement.ca