HALIFAX – Police are investigating several complaints after a major news outlet in Halifax published the name of a teenage girl victimized in a prominent child pornography case.
Halifax police Const. Pierre Bourdages says the Integrated General Investigation section is looking into a possible breach of a court-ordered publication ban on the girl’s name.
He says all of the complaints came from citizens and were linked to the outlet’s use of her name, but he didn’t how many were filed.
READ MORE: #YouKnowHerName highlights anger over handling of high-profile Halifax child porn case
The news outlet says it decided to name her because it believes doing so is in the public interest given the widespread recognition of her name and the good that can come from free public debate over sexual consent and other elements of her story.
The father of the victim says he is pleased that the news outlet published her name. He says her name should be part of the story and the ban is inappropriate.
This comes after a second young man in the case pleaded guilty in youth court Monday to distributing a sexually graphic image of the 15-year-old girl, who died last year following a suicide attempt.
Others have published her name on social media sites, but police said on Nov. 14 that no charges would be laid in seven instances.
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