There is now more protection for Nova Scotians who fall victim to cyber-bullying or the unwanted sharing of intimate images on the Internet.
Legislation proclaimed last Friday (July 6th, 2018) will give victims other means of support, aside from criminal prosecution.
Nova Scotia Justice Minister and MLA for Lunenburg West, Mark Furey, says victims will now have access to civil options, where there is insufficient evidence to lay criminal charges.
“Many have been victims of aggressive language but more specifically, cyberbullying and the sharing of intimate images have a more profound effect on the victim,” notes Minister Furey.
Furey says it was necessary for civil recourse beyond the criminal recourse to give victims the support they need, noting the key element in the legislation is the strengthening of the Cyber Safety Unit and their ability to help victims through the process of civil recourse.
“The most important part of this is education; we want to get out ahead of the incident(s) so the Cyber Protection Unit has been doing that, over a thousand presentations in our public school system,” adds Furey.
When it comes to implementing such legislation regarding the unwanted sharing of intimate images and cyber-bullying, Nova Scotia is the first Canadian Province to do so.
Story by Craig Power
@CraigTPower
power.craig@radioabl.ca
