Child exploitation experts say they害羞草研究所檝e detected a spike in reports of online 害羞草研究所渟extortion害羞草研究所� cases involving teen boys.

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection says 65 boys reported incidents to Cybertip.ca in 2015-16 害羞草研究所� an 89 per cent increase from the previous two-year period of 2013-2014. Reports involving girls jumped 66 per cent.

While 65 male victims may not seem like a large number, executive director Lianna McDonald says the jump clearly establishes that boys are increasingly at risk of online threats.

害羞草研究所淲e need to pay attention regardless,害羞草研究所� McDonald says from Winnipeg, where the centre is based.

害羞草研究所淲e know the seriousness of it. This isn害羞草研究所檛 necessarily all about quantity, it害羞草研究所檚 about severity.害羞草研究所�

What害羞草研究所檚 not clear is the reason for the increased reports.

害羞草研究所淚s it that they害羞草研究所檙e more aware of who we are to report? Is it because it害羞草研究所檚 a growing problem?害羞草研究所� she asks. 害羞草研究所淭he marker on this one is we didn害羞草研究所檛 really have it before. And not only are we hearing about it but now we害羞草研究所檙e hearing about it from other agencies also, which corroborates something different.害羞草研究所�

As a result, the centre launched its first awareness and prevention campaign for young males on Tuesday.

It uses humour to reach boys with a bizarre-looking mascot 害羞草研究所� the hairless, pink-skinned naked mole rat. The creature is meant to spark conversation and offer an alternative image boys can send when asked for nudes.

The unconventional approach is a bid to 害羞草研究所渃ut through the clutter for an audience that害羞草研究所檚 not paying attention,害羞草研究所� says McDonald, adding that fear-based campaigns don害羞草研究所檛 seem to work with boys.

The group launched a website offering confidential online help, as well as information for boys, educators and parents looking for ways to start the conversation.

Overall, reports to Cybertip involving both genders jumped 140 per cent between 2015 and 2016.

The officer in charge of the Toronto police害羞草研究所檚 child exploitation section says boys are victims of sextortion 害羞草研究所渨ay more than people out there think.害羞草研究所� He recalled one offender who admitted to tricking more than 1,200 boys into becoming victimized.

害羞草研究所淎ll of these boys thought they were sending these (images) to a girl their age,害羞草研究所� says acting Det-Sgt. Paul Krawczyk.

害羞草研究所淚magine the ones we害羞草研究所檙e not catching and then imagine the ones that we don害羞草研究所檛 know about.害羞草研究所�

Parents should warn their sons: experts

He urged parents to warn sons of the danger, and point out that girls typically don害羞草研究所檛 ask to see explicit images.

Girls still remain the bigger target of online predators, adds McDonald.

While boys tend to be targeted by unknown adults overseas, girls are exploited in a variety of ways.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 the non-commercial side to it where you害羞草研究所檝e got kids, for malicious reasons, who are blackmailing girls for more photos so they can share it,害羞草研究所� says McDonald.

Youth sending nudes. Learn why they do it, some potential impacts and what you can do to help them:

害羞草研究所� Protect Children (@CdnChildProtect)

害羞草研究所淵ou also have things like the Amanda Todd case, very notorious scenarios where you have adult men who are again capturing them on video doing things. And they害羞草研究所檙e not necessarily appreciating who they害羞草研究所檙e talking to and they think they害羞草研究所檙e in some sort of actual relationship. It害羞草研究所檚 much more diverse for girls.害羞草研究所�

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Boys are often targeted by strangers who send them pre-recorded videos of young girls and urge them to reciprocate, says McDonald.

This mostly involves 13- to 15-year-olds, who can become suicidal as pressure mounts.

害羞草研究所淲e have young kids phoning us and saying: 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檓 supposed to make a payment at Western Union by 6 o害羞草研究所檆lock or they害羞草研究所檙e going to send my picture or my video to all of my friends and family and I害羞草研究所檓 desperate,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 she says.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not difficult to appreciate that these kids are in over their heads. And because they害羞草研究所檙e so deeply humiliated about what害羞草研究所檚 about to happen and what they害羞草研究所檝e done, they害羞草研究所檙e panicked and they害羞草研究所檙e not sure what to do.害羞草研究所�

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection is a national charity dedicated to the personal safety and .

Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press