In Canada, some sexual acts and behaviours involving a child or teen are crimes. This article discusses some examples.
Child pornography
Producing, printing, publishing, distributing, transmitting, making available, selling, importing, exporting, possessing or accessing child pornography is a crime. Advertising child pornography is also a crime.
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Important! Since October 10, 2025, the Criminal Code has replaced the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse and exploitation material.” For now, Éducaloi will continue to use the term “child pornography” in its content. |
Luring
Luring is a criminal offence that involves communicating with a person under the age of 18 for the purpose of “facilitating” a sexual offence.
To do this, an adult may deceive or manipulate the young person, try to gain their trust, or encourage them to let their guard down. The adult may also take advantage of the young person’s curiosity, lack of experience, or vulnerability. These communications can take place through a computer, tablet, cell phone or any other digital platform.
Here are a few examples:
- chatting online with a 15-year old and asking them to touch their private parts,
- asking a 17-year old to send intimate images of themselves by text.
“Facilitating” does not only refer to conversations of a sexual nature. It can also include discussions about family life, personal interests, or other ordinary topics if the purpose is to gain the young person’s trust in order to lure them. The messages do not have to be sexually explicit.
It is important to note that an in-person meeting or the receipt of intimate images is not required for someone to be charged with luring. A person may be charged even if they never tried or intended to meet the young person. The same applies if an adult asks a minor to send intimate images but never actually receives them.
Sexual touching
Touching a child under 16 for a sexual purpose is a crime. Sexually touching a child using an object is also a crime.
A person who asks a child under 16 to touch the person, to touch themselves or to touch another person commits the crime of invitation to sexual touching. The person can be accused of this crime even if no touching actually happens. It’s also illegal to ask a child under 16 to show their genitals for a sexual purpose.
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Important! Sexual touching is allowed between teens, even under 16, if their age difference respects the law for their consent to be valid. Also, one partner must not be in a position of authority or trust over the other, and the teen must not be in a relationship with the partner. |
Sexual exploitation
The sexual partner of a teen 16 or older can be accused of sexual exploitation if the relationship makes the teen dependent on the partner or if it exploits the teen. A partner who is in a position of authority or trust over a teen can also be accused of sexual exploitation. For example, a teacher is usually considered in a position of authority or trust over a teen.
In these situations, the teen’s consent is not valid, even if the teen says yes.
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Important! The crime of sexual exploitation only involves teens. This is different from the expression “sexual exploitation” often used when referring to prostitutes or human trafficking. |