Recognizing the Signs. Preventing Sexual Exploitation and technology facilitated violence
Sexual exploitation and sex trafficking are serious forms of gender-based violence that affect young people across Canada. They can happen anywhere, in our communities, schools, relationships, and increasingly, in digital spaces.
Prevention starts with understanding how exploitation happens, recognizing the warning signs, and knowing how to respond.
Recognizing Harm. Making Informed Choices. Supporting Each Other.
Three animated stories exploring online influence, sexual exploitation, consent, and the power of speaking up.
The digital world plays an important role in how young people connect, build relationships, explore their identities, and understand the world around them. But online spaces can also expose young people to harmful attitudes, manipulation, and exploitation, sometimes in ways that are difficult to recognize.
Through three animated stories, White Ribbon explores situations young people may encounter in their everyday lives, from the misuse of artificial intelligence to harmful online influences and relationships that become exploitative.
Each video encourages young people to think critically, recognize warning signs, challenge harmful behaviours, and make choices grounded in respect, consent, and accountability.
Whether you're a young person, educator, youth worker, parent, or caregiver, these videos offer opportunities to start meaningful conversations about online safety, healthy relationships, and preventing sexual exploitation.
What Feels Like Love.
When attention and affection become tools for manipulation.
Sexual exploitation doesn't always begin with threats or violence. Sometimes, it begins with attention, affection, gifts, and promises of love.
What Feels Like Love tells the story of Maya, a young girl who develops a relationship with someone she meets online. What initially feels like genuine care and connection gradually becomes a relationship characterized by isolation, manipulation, and exploitation.
As Maya becomes increasingly distant from her friends, they begin recognizing warning signs and work together to help her access support.
The story helps us understand how grooming and sexual exploitation can develop, why harmful relationships can be difficult to recognize, and how friends and trusted adults can make a difference.
It’s Just AI
When the image is fake, but the harm is real.
Artificial intelligence has made it easier than ever to create and manipulate images. But what happens when someone's image is used without their consent?
It's Just AI follows a group of friends experimenting with AI-generated images. What begins as harmless entertainment gradually crosses the line when they start creating images of real classmates without their permission.
The story explores the consequences of AI-generated image abuse and challenges the idea that something isn't harmful simply because it isn't real.
It encourages us to consider the impact of our digital choices, understand the importance of consent, and take responsibility for our actions, even when harm was never our intention.
Say Something
Not all advice is good advice.
Social media is full of advice about confidence, success, relationships, and what it means to be a man. But some online influencers promote harmful beliefs that normalize misogyny, manipulation, and sexual exploitation.
Say Something follows two friends as they navigate online content that gradually shifts from self-improvement advice to harmful messages about women and relationships.
When one friend begins repeating ideas that encourage exploitation, the other challenges him to question what he's hearing and recognize the harm behind the message.
The story highlights how online influences can shape attitudes and behaviours, and how friends can play an important role in challenging harmful beliefs before they lead to harm.
#knowsus is a social campaign to help you spot sus (as in suspicious or suspect) behaviour.
If we all know what to look for, we can help stop it. Here’s what’s happening:
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While we're all having fun connecting and creating on social (Insta! Snapchat! TikTok!), online is also a place where suspicious activity thrives (like creepy peeps checking you out).
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When someone you barely know asks you for personal details (what you like, what makes you happy), they might be looking to use that information against you.
When someone you barely know asks you to share sexy photos, those photos can be posted anywhere online without your consent, forever.
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Sus behaviour isn't always easy to spot. What can start off as a friendly chat online can quickly turn into too much too soon.
Maybe you're being showered with unwanted attention. Maybe you’re being harassed or bullied. Maybe someone is threatening you if you don’t give them what they want (photos, money, sexual favours).
This is blackmail and it's happening more and more.
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“Hey I really like your photo”
“I think you’re a natural beauty”
“Can you send that photo to me?”
“I stare at you every night”
“If you don’t send me money, I’ll post your photos all over the Internet”
Catch sus behaviour before it goes too far.
what can i do?
what can i do?
Follow the campaign
—hashtag #knowsus
Join the conversation
—comment on our posts when you see them
Spread the word
—share posts and tell your friends!
Spread the word!
🤨 🤮 🤥
🤨 🤮 🤥
For partners, organizations + allies
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Preventing Online Sexual Exploitation with Youth workshop
We give workshops IRL! Workshop delivery is free for Québec and Manitoba-based organizations.
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Help relay the message!
Download our logo & campaign art and share it on your website or in your email signature.
#inspo
Extra helpful resources
If you got this far, you rock!
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Learn about the issue, spot red flags and support survivors. Read through this helpful guide.
For Indigenous resources, check out Speak Out.
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Have conversations with your kids about online sexploitation with these resources from Public Safety Canada.
Interactive simulations of sexploitation scenarios to help guide discussions with your kids by The Trap
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Explore these lesson plans for different age groups by White Ribbon
🔴 In distress?
Are you or someone you know at risk of sexual harassment, extortion or exploitation?
The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-833-900-1010
A confidential, multilingual service, operating 24/7 to connect victims and survivors with social services, law enforcement, and emergency services, as well as receive tips from the public.
Get help now
In an emergency call 9-1-1
Anonymous helpline toll-free 24/7.
Report an anonymous concern.
Prevention
Asked for a nude? Send this instead!
Block any and all conversations that feel bad.
Believe a friend when they say they’re being harassed online.
Tell a friend, parent or teacher.
Trust your instincts! #IYKYK