Child Abuse Awareness - Sensibilisation à l’abus des enfants 83 Top 10 Threats to Childhood in Canada (cont’d) This year’s report also highlights several cross-cutting themes, including the influence of technology on children and adolescents. Researchers note that digital platforms have made it easier to create and share messages of hate, discrimination, and cyberbullying, which adversely impact mental health, physical activity, and the risk of violence and abuse. Evidence also concludes that the negative effects of technology on mental health have intensified since the onset of the pandemic, with the RCMP warning that victims face extreme outcomes of sextortion, including self-harm or suicide. “Children today are facing unprecedented threats - from rising poverty and mental health crises to violence in their homes and online. Parents are struggling to offer their children a better way of life than they had,” says Sara Austin, Founder and CEO of Children First Canada. “Canada’s kids deserve better - a better childhood and a brighter future, and their survival and ability to thrive depend on the choices we make today. We must act with urgency and conviction to turn this around.” Threat 1: Unintentional and Preventable Injuries • Unintentional and preventable injuries remain the leading cause of death • for children under 15 years of age. • Substance-related injuries such as cannabis use among youth aged 16-19 • years increased from 36% in 2018 to 43% in 2023. Threat 2: Poor Mental Health • 20% of kids in Canada (1.6 million children) have diagnosed mental • health challenges. • Suicide is the second leading cause of death of youth aged 15-34, and the • third leading cause of death for ages 10-14, with an increase in suicidal • ideation and attempts, particularly among girls. • Self-harm accounts for 9% of Kids Help Phone communications and • 20,000 hospitalizations annually. • Mental health disparities are evident, with low-income, 2SLGBTQIA+ • and Indigenous children and youth facing higher rates of mental health • challenges and substance use disorders.
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