Sextortion definition
What is sextortion?
- Simply put sextortion is blackmail. It’s when someone online threatens to send a sexual image or video of you to other people if you don’t pay the person or provide more sexual content.
(Canadian Centre for Child Protection Inc.)
- The practice of forcing someone to do something, particularly to perform sexual acts, by threatening to publish naked pictures of them or sexual information about them:
Sextortion is a crime of the digital age.
(Cambridge dictionary)
- Extortion in which a perpetrator threatens to expose sexually compromising information (such as sexually explicit private images or videos of the victim) unless the victim meets certain demands
Sextortion is when an online predator tricks someone into giving them nude images or videos, and then demands money, more images, or makes other demands—threatening to share the images with the victim’s friends and family if they don’t comply.
(Merriam-Webster dictionary)
- ‘Sextortion’ is a form of blackmail. It involves threatening to publish sexual information, photos or videos about someone. This may be to extort money or to force the victim to do something against their will. Photos or recordings are often made without the victim realising or consenting.
(Metropolitan police) - Sextortion occurs when an adult, through threat or manipulation, coerces a minor into producing a sexually explicit image and sending it over the Internet. (F.B.I.)
- Sexual extortion – sometimes called ‘sextortion’ – is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share intimate images of you online unless you give in to their demands. These demands are typically for money, more intimate images or sexual favours. Blackmailers often target people through dating apps, social media, webcams or adult pornography sites. While sexual extortion can be used by individuals, organised crime is often behind it when the blackmailer demands money.
(e- Safety, Australia’s independent regulator for online safety)
How does the sextortion occur?
The individuals carrying out this crime are skilled and ruthless and have honed their techniques and approaches to maximize their chances at success. The entry point to a young person can be any number of mobile or online sites, applications, or games. The approach may come as compliments or flattery or the pretense of beginning a romantic relationship.
Another entry point is to offer the child something they value in exchange for a taking a quick picture. This could be the possibility of a modeling contract; online game credits or codes; or money, cryptocurrency, and gift cards.
The third common point of entry is to go right to threats by either claiming they already have an image of the young person that they will distribute or threatening to harm the child or other people or things the child cares about.
Once the perpetrator has the first image, they use the threat of exposure or other harm to keep the child producing more and more explicit material.
A general example of how sextortion occurs:
- Youth (males in particular) are often deceived into believing they are communicating with a young female. The contact occurs over a short period of time, in most cases over several hours but in some cases as little as 20 minutes.
- It involves an exchange of sexual content, with the “female” often sharing first. In many cases the youth is tricked into sending a sexual photo or video but the youth may also be tricked into exposing themselves or engaging in a sexual act over a livestream and being recorded without their knowledge.
- Almost immediately, the extorter then demands money. The extorter threatens to leak the content online and/or share with the youth’s friends/family if they don’t comply. It is common for the offender to share screen captures of the youth’s contacts or other identifying information (school, home address) to terrify the youth so they agree to send money.
- If the youth complies, the extorter will demand more money be paid. The extorters will sometimes barter and accept a lower amount if the youth says they cannot pay. Amounts of money demanded range from as little as $9 (the amount a youth had in their bank account) to $ thousands.
- Payment demands are in a number of forms, including requests for money through online payment providers like PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, etc.; through online gift cards for Amazon, Google Play, Steam, VISA, etc.; or through e-transfer direct from bank accounts.
Other tactics used by sex extorters
- Offering youth a prize in the initial contact — win money if they send a sexual image/video.
- Youth being targeted after an older sibling, or a friend had been contacted by the same extorter.
- If initially not complying, the extorter can become more aggressive (e.g. threatening to ruin the teen’s life).
- Creating more than one account to make it seem like more than one person is targeting the youth.
- Demanding youth create other accounts on social media for the extorters use in victimizing further youth.
- Threats to share the sexual image/video with a school or many schools.
- Creating newspaper articles with false claims about the youth abusing young children.
- Threats to share the sexual image/video with newspapers, news outlets and TV stations.
