B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma says people deserve to know whether they may be among the at least 652 women and girls filmed by a Saanich, B.C., man convicted of voyeurism and making child pornography — now known as child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
Saanich police say they seized devices from Yin Yeung Derek Chan that contained thousands of photos and more than 28 hours of video over six years without victims’ consent at businesses, beaches and through the windows of private homes.
Police said they were able to identify and contact 40 victims prior to the sentencing, and more have since reached out and been verified.
In spite of calls for greater transparency around the case, police have declined to share further information.
While Sharma acknowledged police make their own decisions about what information to release, she told CBC News that it can be an important step in empowering victims whose autonomy has been taken away to provide these details.
“People have a right to know if they were part of this case, and I would hope that that would happen,” she said.
Samantha Loppie, executive director of the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre, said it’s important for police to be as transparent as possible, and undergo trauma-informed training.
“Not only are there hundreds of folks whose consent was not given and privacy was breached directly, but then there is also this ripple effect in the community of folks wondering if they were included,” Loppie said.
“More details would be, I think, helpful for people to kind of put their minds at ease.”
Saanich police did not respond to multiple interview requests from CBC News, but deputy chief Damian Kowalewich said previously that they chose to disclose the case on the day of Chan’s sentencing to avoid retraumatizing victims and protect the integrity of the investigation and court process.
Sharma said B.C. is currently working on reforms that could make the justice system respond better in cases like this, such as tightening rules around bail and making the system more transparent.
Chan was released with conditions after his initial arrest in April 2024, but was re-arrested in January 2025 and has remained in custody since. After pleading guilty on multiple voyeurism-related charges, he was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison last week.
Sharma expects victims will be feeling the harm long after his sentence ends.
“It was completely disturbing, the scale and the number of people that were affected by one man’s wrongdoing,” she said.
“That sense of violation that people have when that happens, I think, stays with you forever.”
Laura Vye, executive director of the Victoria Child Abuse Prevention and Counselling Centre, said there were more than 60 children or youth identified in the evidence gathered by police, most of whom appeared to be female.
“It’s an unprecedented case,” Vye said.
“We all have a responsibility to keep our vulnerable people, our children, our youth, and families safe.”
Her centre’s victim service advocates are available to help any children who are victims, and noted that the Canadian Centre for Child Protection has online resources for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children.
B.C. also has an online portal where people who have intimate images shared online without their consent can apply to the Civil Resolution Tribunal for the photos to be taken down, along with up to $75,000 in damages.
Sharma said this resource has proved effective over the past two years, with some orders leading to images being taken down within a day.
At the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre, Loppie said there are emotional and legal supports available, which can help victims process what happened and what their options may be.
For people in need of immediate support, Loppie said the 24-hour Vancouver Island Crisis Line at 1-888-494-3888 is also an important resource.
Saanich police have asked anyone who believes they may be a victim to contact the department.
