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It is easy for children to fall prey to the manipulative tactics of predators, and with so many online spaces available to them, predators can get access to children even at home. Pay close attention to changes in your child’s behavior, and create a safe space to talk about their behavior, especially if your child is often online.

When you hear the phrase “human trafficking,” you may think of movies like Taken, where Liam Neeson plays a cutthroat investigator driven to rescue his daughter from a sex trafficking organization. Movies like this paint a picture of human traffickers and predators as forceful and obvious villains, but in most cases human trafficking looks very different from these depictions. Most instances of human trafficking don’t look violent from the outside, and even victims may not realize that it is happening to them. This is because traffickers use manipulative tactics to ensnare their victims, often offering security, opportunity, or love to trap their victims. In online spaces, human traffickers and other predators can get a hold of kids even in their own homes, and the consequences can be deadly.

Canadian law enforcement is tracking a recent uptick in online predation and exploitation, and the FBI identified a 60% increase in sextortion complaints from parents in 2025. Through coercion and manipulation, online predators have solicited sensitive, violent, and sexual content from their child victims, and have even coaxed children to meet in person. This can leave children vulnerable to mental health crises, sexual abuse, and human trafficking. In some cases, harassment from predators online became so intense that their child victims took their own lives.

Children are most vulnerable to coercion, manipulation, and blackmail when they are isolated and unsure of where to seek support. Shame from peers and trusted adults often forces kids to hide their behaviors or interests, leaving them especially vulnerable to predators online, who appear to be benign and encouraging voices behind the veneer of an unidentifiable avatar. LGBTQ+ children are especially vulnerable to the pressures of shame from their peers and other community members, which correlates with their increased vulnerability to human traffickers and other predators online, where they often seek refuge from the shame they feel in their community and/or at home.

As a parent, it is important to avoid words or actions that make children feel ashamed about their interests. Of course, this does not mean that inappropriate behaviors or interests should get a free pass. Having an honest, informed, and judgement-free conversation with your children about their interests lets them know that you are a safe person to turn to when their interests are exploited by bad actors. Restorative conversations like these are a great opportunity to set reasonable boundaries with your child. You establish your presence as an individual, you give respect to their need to become a fully realized individual, but you remind them that your expectations for them are meant to keep them safe and healthy. When you reestablish this connection, you build trust and respect that can be life-saving if your child is contacted by an online predator.

It is also important to know the signs of your child being victimized by online predators. Watch out for the following behaviors, and if you aren’t able to get a clear explanation, consider reaching out to the online predator hotline.

Your child suddenly becomes very private with their connected devices: If your child suddenly starts hiding what they are doing on their devices, or acts nervously if you ask to see them, it may be a sign that they are struggling with or being manipulated in an online situation with a predator.

Check to see if your child’s information is available online: Doing a Google search of your child’s name might reveal that your child has shared sensitive personal information and that it has been shared without their knowledge or consent, or is published in a place that could be compromising.

Monitor your child’s use of bank or credit cards for fraudulent purchases: Whether your child has a bank or credit card or they use yours, it is important to keep an eye on what they’re purchasing. You may discover that the card has been compromised, or that they are sending money to a predator who is threatening them.

Keep a record of suspicious or incriminating messages: In the event that an investigation needs to take place, it is important for law enforcement to have a record of your child’s communications with online predators.