PARENT JOURNEY
THE REALITY IN CANADA
Every parent wants their child to be safe. The system should help make that possible.
Child sexual abuse is one of the most difficult topics to talk about. But staying silent about the systems that are supposed to prevent it, respond to it, and support survivors doesn’t protect children, it leaves them more vulnerable. The good news: change is possible. And parents and caregivers have more power to drive that change than they might realize.
WHAT THE RESEARCH TELLS US
This is more common than most people know.
1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys will experience some form of sexual abuse before they turn 18. In most cases, the abuse is carried out by someone the child knows - a family member, coach, teacher, or trusted adult.
Note: Statistics are sourced from historical national studies and are currently undergoing validation with the Little Warriors research advisory team before final publishing.
1 in 3
GIRLS AFFECTED
1 in 6
BOYS AFFECTED
These numbers are hard to read. They’re important because they show this isn’t rare or isolated - it’s a widespread issue our systems have not yet caught up to.
THE SYSTEM GAPS
It’s not for lack of caring. It’s a lack of coordination.
There are many dedicated professionals, organizations, and advocates working hard to protect children across Canada. The problem isn’t effort - it’s that the systems they work within are fragmented, inconsistent, and often don’t talk to each other.
Where you live shapes the help you get
A family in Alberta may have access to very different services than a family in New Brunswick. Wait times, types of support, and how cases are handled vary enormously depending on your province or territory.
Digital gaps
The internet has created new risks that the law hasn’t caught up to. Online predators, sextortion, AI-generated abuse images, and exploitation through social media are growing problems - and Canadian legislation hasn’t kept pace.
Institutional accountability
Schools, sports, and other institutions need clearer rules. When abuse occurs, reporting and investigation standards are inconsistent. In some cases, NDAs have been used to silence survivors to protect reputations.
Support gaps
Survivors don’t always get the support they need. Therapy waitlists can stretch for months or years. For survivors who move across provincial boundaries, there’s often no continuity of care.
CONNECTING THE DOTS
These aren’t abstract policy problems. They affect real children.
Every gap in the system is a gap in your child’s protection.
When courts aren’t trauma-informed, children who report abuse may be retraumatized by the legal process. When online platforms aren’t held accountable, your child’s safety online depends on the goodwill of private companies with inconsistent policies.
When institutions are allowed to silence survivors, the cycle of harm is more likely to continue unnoticed. Policy fragmentation is a direct threat to safety in our homes, schools, and playgrounds.
We know what needs to change. Now we need to make it happen.
PROTECT Canada has identified six priority areas where reform can make a real difference - for individual families and for every child in Canada. What’s missing is sustained public pressure from parents and caregivers who refuse to let these issues fall off the agenda.
