NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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On Feb. 20, 2019, members of the Kirkland Lake Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a domestic dispute in the Town of Kirkland Lake, Ontario.
The Kirkland Lake OPP Crime Unit assisted with the investigation and as a result, a 15-year-old male, from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, was charged with the following:
- Distribute intimate image without consent, contrary to section 162.1(1) of the Criminal Code (CC),
- Voyeurism, contrary to section 162(1) of the CC, and
- Sexual assault (two counts), contrary to section 271 of the CC.
The youth cannot be identified under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA).
The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Kirkland Lake, Ontario.
The Kirkland Lake OPP would like to remind the public that the non-consensual distribution of an intimate image/video is a serious criminal offence that can deeply impact all involved. As well, in cases where the image/video depicts a person under the age of 18, it can constitute a criminal offence in relation to Child Pornography.
Everyone needs to realize the long and short term dangers of sending out photographs and videos of themselves. Those who distribute these pic/videos also need to be aware that there are criminal consequences for doing so. Once it's out there, you can't get it back and you should not be embarrassed to speak to police about your concerns.
Often parents do not know that their kids are involved in this behaviour, and it can be difficult to determine. Parents are encouraged to have honest and frank discussions with their kids about what self-peer exploitation is, and explain that the images can often end up somewhere they may not want them to be. Be prepared to offer them some information about who they can speak to if they need help.
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