Sextortion: what you need to know

Sextortion is a form of online blackmail whereby a predator threatens to make sexual images of a youth public. Here’s what you need to know about this growing problem.

How sextortion occurs
Communication usually starts on social media, and young males are a common target. The teens are tricked into believing they’re communicating with a young female.

Communication leads to sexual content. The youth may share a nude image of themselves or engage in a sexual act via livestream, which is recorded without their knowledge.

The extorter then threatens to share the pictures with the youth’s friends and family if they aren’t paid or provided with more sexual images. The predator may also threaten to harm the victim or the victim’s family.

Some young people have paid more than $7,000 to these predators. Others, like 17-year-old Michigan high schooler Jordan DeMay, have chosen to end their lives while sextorted.

What to do
If you’re experiencing sextortion, there are things you can do:

• Stop all communication. Deactivate, but don’t delete, the accounts you’re using to communicate with the extortionists. Never send money or more nude images.

• Keep the message threads and information, such as the predator’s username, social media account information, and any shared videos or images.

• Get help. Tell an adult or your local police.