Child Abuse Most of the above Criminal Code offences are also fully available remedies in cases of child abuse. The Code also has child-specific offences. Incest is a serious offence under the Criminal Code. The Code prohibits sexual interference with children which includes invitation for sexual touching or sexual exploitation of children. The Criminal Code requires all parents to provide their children under the age of 16 with the necessaries of life.
Corporal punishment is a grey zone.
The Code protects children from humiliating and frightening court appearances by allowing them to testify against their aggressor by video or from behind a screen. They can still be cross-examined directly by the victim's lawyer but they do not have to see their aggressor during their testimony in sexual abuse cases. Special child protection laws exist in each province allowing the social services or health ministries to intervene and to remove a child from a dangerous home situation, where they are being subjected to abuse or where they are not being cared for to the point of endangerment to their well-being. In these cases, children can be removed from their home but a judge must decide on the continued wardship of the child at the earliest opportunity. As a final note, it should be noted here also that tort actions are available to child abuse victims.