The Coquitlam-based Children of the Street Society has launched a campaign to stop child predators from soliciting children and youth online.
"What we're trying to do is to show how important it is as a community to keep children safe when it comes to child pornography, and to remind the public that there are undercover officers online looking for child predators," executive director Diane Sowden said of the ad campaign.
Child pornography available online has grown by 900% in five years and Canada is the second largest source after the U.S, Sowden said.
"Yes, that is shocking," she said, adding that 10% of strangers on a child's social media site are likely to be predators.
The society's ad campaign and website www.PredatorWatch are supported by the Vancouver Police Department and the BC Internet Child Exploitation Unit, and Sowden said she hopes it will encourage parents, community agencies and others to take the issue of child luring and child pornography seriously.
The posters - which have been installed in Vancouver bars and fitness centres - show a police officer wearing a mask, and a 3D camera with a light that glows when observed makes the claim that thousands of children are similarly violated by web cams. Online, an interactive banner has been created that shows a girl in a bedroom with an invitation to "connect."
"We needed something interactive and obtrusive in order to cut through and warn potential perpetrators, as well as the general public who can play a role in protection, said Michael Milardo, creative director with Cossette Vancouver, the ad agency that created the interactive components of the campaign.
Rethink Communications provided the posters.
