Sextortion - a public safety crisis affecting our youth

WARNING: This news release contains mentions of self-harm and suicide.

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 6, 2024 /CNW/ - On this Safer Internet Day, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is reminding parents and the public about the prevalence of sextortion, a growing threat affecting our youth, particularly those in the 14 to 24 age range.

Sextortion is an online crime that affects youth in every province, territory, region and city across the country.

In some circumstances, victims can experience the extreme outcomes of sextortion, such as self harm or even suicide. Youth are being targeted at an alarming rate and with no regard to the impacts to them. Everyone has a responsibility to protect youth by reducing the stigma and encouraging youth to speak out if they or their friends are being targeted.

Being able to identify and recognize sextortion is the first step.

Sextortion is a form of online blackmail. Offenders often pose as girls of a similar age and use realistic accounts to target youth, deceiving and manipulating them into sending explicit photos or videos. The offender then threatens to release the sexual materials unless the victim sends them money, more images or both. These offenders are very good at what they do and use many techniques to threaten the victim. They will rely on emotional threats and aggressive behaviour to get the victim to send them what they want – it is important to remember that there is help available and that there is life after images.

Even though sextortion is committed virtually, it can have serious impacts offline. After the threats and aggression, victims can be made to feel alone, ashamed, scared, and sometimes desperate. Countless children and adults in Canada and around the world have been threatened this way. There are resources and supports available to help. You are not alone.

Advice for youth who are being sextorted:

• Stop all communication with the offender or person you think is sextorting you.
• Reach out to a trusted adult or guardian, and report to cybertip.ca or your local police. You won't be in trouble with law enforcement and you are not the one to blame in this situation. By reporting it, you can help to make it stop.
• Do not comply with any threats, do not send money or more images.
• Deactivate, but do not delete your social media account or images.
• Save a copy of any images you sent, and take screenshots of the messages and the person's profile including username.
• Report any incidents to cybertip.ca. You can provide your name and contact information, or complete the form anonymously.
• Trust your instincts, practice caution when communicating online.
• There is life after images: the offender might try to make you feel like your life is over or you may not see the way forward right now, but you are not alone and life can and will go on after these threats. These offenders are organized, but law enforcement is working together to respond to these crimes.

If you need help, there are resources available to you:

• Kids Help Phone can provide urgent emotional support.
• Canadians across the country can now call or text 9-8-8 for immediate and free mental health crisis support and suicide prevention intervention.
• Need Help Now provides information on emotional support, reporting, helping a friend and answering frequently asked questions.
• Cybertip.ca provides information on staying safe online, how to report any concerns and can also assist youth with intimate image removal.
• Public Safety Canada provides youth, parents and caregivers with educational resources on Online Dangers, including sextortion.
• The Department of Justice Canada's Victim Services Directory can provide information on resources in your community available to victims of online child sexual exploitation.

Quotes

Sextortion is a serious crime that can be addressed though education and awareness. To those who have been affected, don't suffer in silence and don't feel ashamed. Speak with a trusted adult, seek out help from your local police and report this crime. You have the power to act, and we want to help you. Things will get better.

Mike Duheme
Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The RCMP and partners across Canada and internationally are working together to educate youth and to help them feel empowered when dealing with sextortion. If you think this is happening to you, know that you are not alone and there are many resources and people who can help. It is a scam that is trending, but together we can make it stop.  

Gord Sage
Chief Superintendent, Sensitive and Specialized Investigative Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Our staff is on the front lines of this public safety emergency; we are receiving 10 reports of Canadian children being sextorted every day. The devastation of children cannot continue. Youth and their families need to know we are here to help them and they can access our support team through NeedHelpNow.ca. You do not need to deal with this incredibly difficult situation alone.

Lianna McDonald
Executive Director, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection

Quick facts

• The RCMP works with domestic and international partners to investigate sextortion, and develops public awareness and prevention campaigns to remove the stigma associated with this online crime and advocate for victims, ensuring there is life after images.
• Cybertip.ca saw an 88% increase in sextortion reports between 2022 and 2023 (January 1 – December 31).
• Cybertip.ca received 2,500 sextortion reports between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023, and are currently receiving an average of 10 reports per day.
• According to an open source analysis by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection of 6,500 first-hand accounts shared publicly on a popular victim support forum, complying with an extorter's demands often leads to frequent future demands.

Associated links

• Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P)
  • NeedHelpNow.ca – A resource for youth who have had an intimate image shared online or are experiencing online sexual violence.
  • Cybertip.ca – Canada's national tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children
• National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (NCECC)
• Online Child Sexual Exploitation - Public Safety Canada
• Kids Help Phone
• News Release

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Contact : RCMP Media Relations, [email protected], 613-843-5999