‘Stranger in child’s bedroom’ — Windsor advocates see online abuse rise

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Crimes related to online sexual exploitation and peer violence targeting young victims in Windsor and Essex County are on the rise, according to new data from a local youth support and advocacy organization.

“Sexual abuse or sexual assault is still the majority of our cases which are referred to us,” said Nila Das, executive director of the Windsor Essex Child/Youth Advocacy Centre (WECYAC).

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“But I would say that we have started to see another category, which is online sexual assault that has gone up significantly.”

Online sexual exploitation more than doubled in the 2024-25 fiscal year, growing from 4.2 to nine per cent, according to the advocacy centre.

The stranger is right in your child’s bedroom

“Youth exposed to the digital world … sometimes parents even don’t know how to protect,” said Das.

“Previously, when we knew that children were going out, we had to keep them safe from strangers. But the stranger is right in your child’s bedroom.

“How will you protect them? That is where we are struggling as a parent and as a community.”

The organization presented its latest annual figures during its Navigating Reality event, held with community partners last Friday, at Windsor’s Fogolar Furlan Club.

Another emerging trend Das finds troubling is an increase in peer-to-peer violence.

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Over the past fiscal year, the organization has seen an uptick in cases where the accused was a peer or acquaintance of the victim — rising from 20 to 27 per cent among reported instances.

Some of that peer-to-peer violence can take the shape of youth dating abuse, which is another trend Das said the centre is fielding more often.

“In the past year, we started seeing youth — 16- and 17-year-olds — coming to our centre and they are experiencing youth dating violence.”

Das said it is important to teach young people consent, and help them recognize red flags and green flags in a healthy relationship.

During the past fiscal year, the advocacy centre supported 877 new clients — including both children and their caregivers — across 233 new cases.

That marks an increase from the previous year, said Das, when 735 individuals were served and connected to a total of 213 cases.

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The advocacy centre also reported a slight rise in the number of female clients, growing from 58 to 62 per cent.

That increase may reflect a growing public awareness of the organization, said Das. The centre is also now responding to a larger scope of cases beyond sexual assault, including various forms of violence against children.

Das said the organization’s youngest client is three years old.

“I think numbers have been going up throughout the years,” said Staff Sgt. Rich Sieberer of the Windsor Police Service’s special victims unit.

“I think it’s just a testament of the Windsor police being more responsive to the community and also community organizations working together to allow families to report these incidences and that they feel comfortable doing so and know that they’ll be supported.

There is no one-size-fits-all sign of abuse, explained Das, who added that even subtle shifts in a child’s behaviour can be cause for concern and worth exploring.

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“If the child is showing some signs, something you feel as a mother or a parent or a caregiver that is not usual behaviour, don’t just come to a conclusion,” said Das. “Understand what is happening.”

 Sieberer said there are multiple ways of reporting sexual assault or violence.

“I think the first thing as a child, you tell your parents, or a friend or a family member,” said Sieberer.

“Tell your teacher at school or a social worker, or you can call the police. We’ll always come to your door and talk to you and see what’s going on.”

Sieberer underscored the importance of community organizations, such as the Windsor Essex Child/Youth Advocacy Centre, that offer long-term support to victims and their families.

After Windsor police complete an investigation and the case progresses to court, he said community partners stay with survivors in the months and years that follow, helping them process trauma and move forward.

mmazak@postmedia.com

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