To better understand
Many parents worry about their teen’s safety on the Internet. While digital technology has many benefits for young people, it’s not completely risk-free. Unfortunately, some people use the Internet to perpetrate crimes against teenagers. Sextortion, a form of sexual blackmail, is one such crime.
According to Canada’s National Tipline for Reporting the Online Sexual Exploitation of Children, sextortion is when someone threatens to send a sexual image or video of the person to other people if they don’t pay them or provide more sexual content. Sextortionists use several methods to acquire these sexual images or videos. Sexually explicit content may be sent willingly or unwillingly by teenagers, or it may be obtained without their knowledge, in particular during webcam chats. While the sextortion cases reported in the media are often perpetrated by strangers, a teenager might also know the individual who is sextorting them.
Sextortion can affect all teenagers, regardless of their gender, sex, sexual orientation or ethnocultural background. Teens who have fallen victim to sextortion may feel guilty or ashamed, even though it’s not their fault. Many won’t ask for help because they’re afraid of being judged. Some teens may also witness or commit sextortion themselves. Several steps can be taken to prevent and combat this issue. And as a parent, you have a major role to play!
Sextortion and teens
Cybertip.ca reports a 150% increase in sextortion incidents involving teenagers between December 2021 and May 2022.
What should you do if you’re being sextorted?
- Don’t give in to the blackmail and threats.
- Cut off all communication with the sextortionist.
- Shut down the accounts where the sextortion is taking place but keep a record of the conversations.
- Talk to a trusted adult and report the situation to police.
- Visit the NeedHelpNow and Cybertip websites for more information.
To better support
Tips and tricks
- Talk to your teen about the sextortion cases you see in the media. Discuss ways to make their online activities safer. Talk about what they should do if sextortion happens and where to turn for help. Remind them that you’re there if they need you and that you won’t judge if it happens to them.
- To kickstart the conversation, you can also look at the sextortion awareness tool for teens together (see DontGetSextorted.ca : send a naked mole rat).
In short
- Unfortunately, because they’re young and more vulnerable, teenagers are more likely to fall victim to sextortion. But there are some things you can do to protect teens online.
- By helping your teen to explore the online world and stand up for themselves, you’re giving them the tools to prevent sextortion. It’s also important to talk about what makes for a healthy, equal relationship and the potential consequences of sharing personal information.
- In the event of sextortion, step in quickly and always remember: The only people to blame for the sextortion are the perpetrators. If your teen falls victim to sextortion, treat them with kindness and compassion and offer your support.
Practical resources and tools
1. To support you:
Are you dealing with a situation that worries you? Ask for help:
2. For more information:
If you fear for your teen’s or your own safety, call 911 or your local police department.
The police service can also be a useful resource, particularly for the prevention of street gangs, violence, bullying, delinquency, and other offenses.
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