In recent months the cases of sextortion to the detriment of adolescents through social networks have been increasing dramatically. Over a hundred reports have already been received by the Postal Police. They are mostly minors between the ages of 15 and 17 and even younger.
It is a phenomenon, usually aimed at the adult world, with an enormous potential for danger because it affects underage victims, as fragile as they are inexperienced.
More and more often, the sexual curiosity of boys transports them into a nightmare made of blackmail, insistent requests for money and threats to destroy their reputation by spreading sexual images obtained through live chat on social media.
It all starts with some chats with social profiles of kind and handsome girls and boys, appreciation and likes for the photos posted. We then move on to video chats and requests are made more and more pushed.
In the following days, the online “pressing” includes the request for even small amounts of money, with the threat that, in the event of non-payment, the sexual material will be disseminated among all contacts, friends and relatives.
Victims, trapped between shame and fear that intimate images may be seen by their contacts, tend to keep everything to themselves, not to confide in anyone, especially their parents.
For this reason the phenomenon is underestimated, because the complaint requires the children to disclose everything to their parents, a fact that sometimes appears more painful than the threats of extortion.
- The advice of the postal police
- Never give in to blackmail by paying the required sums. They will not stop asking for money if you pay, but on the contrary they will understand that you have economic availability and will become more insistent;
- Don’t be ashamed for sharing intimate images with strangers. At that age one is curious and inexperienced and often the people who do these things are organized criminals who know the frailties of children;
- Do not delete messages exchanged with extortionists, do not close the social profiles on which they are contacted, but take screen shots of conversations and threats and of the extortionist’s profile;
- Make a report on our portal www.commissariatodips.it to ask for help, alone it is more difficult to solve this type of problem;
- Talk to 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.
Sextortion is a phenomenon that is affecting an exponential number of young people on the net. These are adults or criminal organizations that approach teens online, push them into virtual sexual conversations, acquire intimate images and videos, and then demand sums of money to avoid publishing private material online. If something like this happens to your children:
- It is not necessary to judge their behavior as irresponsible, but to evaluate that the shame and the sense of panic they may feel put them at risk of carrying out impulsive acts;
- Listen to what the children tell, calmly acquire all the information and reassure them that they are not the only ones to have encountered this type of situation;
- Obtain screen shots of conversations with extortionists and go to a police office as soon as possible to file a complaint: timeliness in these cases is essential to better resolve investigations.
- Do not delete images, videos and do not close social profiles before providing this information to the Police;
- Make a report on www.commissariatodips.it and ask for information and support, if necessary.