Child exploitation experts say theyB次元官网网址檝e detected a spike in reports of online B次元官网网址渟extortionB次元官网网址� cases involving teen boys.

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection says 65 boys reported incidents to Cybertip.ca in 2015-16 B次元官网网址� 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.

B次元官网网址淲e need to pay attention regardless,B次元官网网址� McDonald says from Winnipeg, where the centre is based.

B次元官网网址淲e know the seriousness of it. This isnB次元官网网址檛 necessarily all about quantity, itB次元官网网址檚 about severity.B次元官网网址�

WhatB次元官网网址檚 not clear is the reason for the increased reports.

B次元官网网址淚s it that theyB次元官网网址檙e more aware of who we are to report? Is it because itB次元官网网址檚 a growing problem?B次元官网网址� she asks. B次元官网网址淭he marker on this one is we didnB次元官网网址檛 really have it before. And not only are we hearing about it but now weB次元官网网址檙e hearing about it from other agencies also, which corroborates something different.B次元官网网址�

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 B次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渃ut through the clutter for an audience thatB次元官网网址檚 not paying attention,B次元官网网址� says McDonald, adding that fear-based campaigns donB次元官网网址檛 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 policeB次元官网网址檚 child exploitation section says boys are victims of sextortion B次元官网网址渨ay more than people out there think.B次元官网网址� He recalled one offender who admitted to tricking more than 1,200 boys into becoming victimized.

B次元官网网址淎ll of these boys thought they were sending these (images) to a girl their age,B次元官网网址� says acting Det-Sgt. Paul Krawczyk.

B次元官网网址淚magine the ones weB次元官网网址檙e not catching and then imagine the ones that we donB次元官网网址檛 know about.B次元官网网址�

Parents should warn their sons: experts

He urged parents to warn sons of the danger, and point out that girls typically donB次元官网网址檛 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.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 the non-commercial side to it where youB次元官网网址檝e got kids, for malicious reasons, who are blackmailing girls for more photos so they can share it,B次元官网网址� says McDonald.

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

B次元官网网址� Protect Children (@CdnChildProtect)

B次元官网网址淵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 theyB次元官网网址檙e not necessarily appreciating who theyB次元官网网址檙e talking to and they think theyB次元官网网址檙e in some sort of actual relationship. ItB次元官网网址檚 much more diverse for girls.B次元官网网址�

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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.

B次元官网网址淲e have young kids phoning us and saying: B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 supposed to make a payment at Western Union by 6 oB次元官网网址檆lock or theyB次元官网网址檙e going to send my picture or my video to all of my friends and family and IB次元官网网址檓 desperate,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she says.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not difficult to appreciate that these kids are in over their heads. And because theyB次元官网网址檙e so deeply humiliated about whatB次元官网网址檚 about to happen and what theyB次元官网网址檝e done, theyB次元官网网址檙e panicked and theyB次元官网网址檙e not sure what to do.B次元官网网址�

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

Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press