Teens assume nudes are easy methods to get a lover – as an alternative it is blackmail, knowledgeable says
Adults have been urged to act as teens are targeted in ‘sextortion’ schemes.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) recently revealed cases of the offence – a form of blackmail – have doubled worldwide in the last year. Sextortion sees victims sent a nude photo before being encouraged to send one back, only to be threatened with having the image exposed unless they pay up.
Anyone can be a victim of sextortion but young people are often targets, Alan Collins, lawyer at Hugh James, told the Daily Star. Mr Collins, who represents victims of sex abuse, said: “I think this kind of behaviour [sending explicit photos] is glamourised, teenagers think this is what you need to do to get a boyfriend or get a girlfriend.”
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He also said sextortion is likely “a lot more common than we think.” The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) found confirmed cases of the crime in the UK skyrocketed last year from 21 to 176.
This can have devastating consequences. In the US at least 20 underage victims of sextortion have died by suicide since 2021, according to CBS.
One of them was James Woods from Ohio, who received about 200 disturbing messages within a matter of hours after he was targeted in the scam. Parents Tamia and and Tim Woods said their only child was an “awesome kid” and talented athlete before he tragically took his own life on November 19, 2022, at the age of 17.
(Image: Family Handout)
“My son gave me a hug every day. He told me he loved me every day,” Mrs Woods said. “It was no inkling at all that he would ever do such a thing, ever.”
Mr Collins stressed victims are not at fault if they have been targeted by blackmailers and said teachers and parents have a duty to make sure those who become caught up in the scheme know they are innocent.
“The law is very clear; this is a form of blackmail, and blackmail is a crime that you can go to prison for,” he said. He added often those carrying out these crimes were adults pretending to be teenagers online, but said there had been cases of peer-to-peer sextortion more recently.
(Image: Getty Images/Blend Images)
He also stressed there were steps all of us could take to reduce the risk of sextortion – from spreading the word to thinking carefully about our children’s access to technology.
“Parents need to be thinking, ‘Does [my young child] need an iPhone, a smartphone?'” he said, adding even young children can be targeted online. Mr Collins also said children were likely to want to copy adults, so we should think carefully about how we’re coming across to the young people around us.
“We all as adults have a responsibility,” he continued. “Children, teenagers, emulate their older peers.”
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email [email protected], visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
