A Safety Net.

In the privacy of her room, 10-year-old Eva excitedly texted with a new friend. Over many weeks, Eva shared her stories, angst, dreams and insecurities. On the other end of the phone, a 42-year-old man listened attentively, slowly gaining Eva’s trust. 

In 2024, Elijah participated in Victim Service Toronto's Youth Symposium, which we'd just extended to kids in grades 5-7. Elijah realized he couldn't keep Eva's secret and told his teacher, who informed the school principal.

The teacher and principal had participated in Symposium for educators and knew what to do. The principal called Eva's mom and Toronto Police's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit. 

The Youth Symposium taught students like Elijah about cultivating healthy relationships, the early warning signs of abusive relationships and where to find help.

The signs of abuse and exploitation can be difficult for young people to recognize and act on, and child exploitation can surface at any time.

The Youth Symposium educates youth, parents, educators, and students to create a safety net and to identify exploitation whenever the signs appear.