The number of minors victims of sextortion through social networks is growing. Over a hundred reports received by the Postal Police.
In recent months, cases of sextortion against teenagers through social networks have been increasing dramatically. The Postal Police have already received over a hundred reports.
They are minors mostly between 15 and 17 years old and even younger.
It is a phenomenon, usually aimed at the adult world, with an enormous potential for danger because today it affects minor victims, as fragile as they are inexperienced.
More and more often, young people's sexual curiosity transports them into a nightmare of blackmail, insistent requests for money and threats to destroy their reputation by spreading sexual images obtained via live chat on social media.
It all starts with a few chats with the social profiles of nice and attractive girls and boys, compliments and likes for the published photos.
We then move on to video chats and the requests gradually become more intense.
In the following days, the online bombardment includes requests for even small sums of money, with the threat that, in case of non-payment, the sexual material will be spread among all contacts, friends and relatives.
Victims, trapped between shame and fear that intimate images might be seen by their contacts, tend to keep everything to themselves, not confiding in anyone, especially their parents.
For this reason the phenomenon is underestimated, because reporting forces children to reveal themselves to their parents, which sometimes appears more painful than threats of extortion.
Advice from the postal police:
– Never give in to blackmail by paying the requested sums. They will not stop asking for money if you pay, but rather they will understand that you have the financial resources and will become more insistent;
– There is no shame in sharing intimate images with strangers. At that age you are curious and inexperienced and often the people who do these things are organized criminals who know the fragility of children;
– Do not delete the messages exchanged with the extortionists, do not close the social profiles on which you are contacted, but take screen shots of the conversations and threats and of the extortionist's profile;
– Make a report on our portal www.commissariatodips.it to ask for help, it is more difficult to solve this type of problem alone;
– Talk about it with your parents or a trusted adult, who will know how to help you manage the situation;
– Anyone over the age of 14 can file a complaint, even independently, in any police office.
Tips for parents:
Sextortion is a phenomenon that is affecting an exponential number of boys and girls online. These are adults and/or criminal organizations who approach teenagers online, push them into virtual sexual conversations, acquire intimate images and videos and then demand sums of money to prevent the publication of private material online. If something similar happens to your children:
– We must not judge their behavior as irresponsible, but consider that the shame and sense of panic they may feel put them at risk of carrying out impulsive acts;
– Listen to what your children say, calmly acquire all the information and reassure them that they are not the only ones who have encountered this type of situation;
– Obtain screen shots of the conversations with the extortionists and go to a police office as soon as possible to file a report: timeliness in these cases is essential to resolve the investigations as best as possible.
– Do not delete images, videos and do not close social profiles before providing this information to the Police;
– Report on www.commissariatodips.it and ask for information and support, if necessary.
Article published on 26 August 2022 - 11:15
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