Skip to main content

A new study has revealed a disturbing amount of child pornography is being distributed online in British Columbia.

A Stats Canada crime report released Wednesday shows more than 1,200 individual cases of sexual-abuse images were exchanged over the Internet over a six-month period last year.

The police unit that investigates child exploitation in B.C. says this project was the first of its kind in the province and establishes a baseline.

Investigators say it's impossible to know at this point whether the issue is getting better or worse.

RCMP spokesman Ed Boettcher says a single case of child victimization is too many and that more than a thousand over that time is tragic.

He says police would ensure those responsible are held to account.

This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.

Interact with The Globe