Law

Sextortion: how it happens?

In today’s digital age, blackmailers have found a new playground on social media and dating apps, using phones to stalk and blackmail unsuspecting people. Sextortion, the act of threatening to share explicit images, is more rampant than ever, affecting young children, teens, and adults alike.

One disturbing trend in sextortion involves adult pretending to be young girls and targeting boys between the ages of 14 and 17 on gaming platforms, apps, and social media sites. It starts innocently enough, with a teen or an adult responding to an online request to expose certain body parts on a webcam or send a nude photo to a newfound “friend.” However, this seemingly harmless act quickly escalates as the new friend threatens to expose the pictures unless the teen or adult complies with requests for more explicit content or sends money.

In some instances, these blackmailers deceive and manipulate people into engaging in explicit activities over video, secretly recording the interactions. They then hold the recorded material as leverage, threatening to post it online unless the victim pays up.

This horrifying violation not only strips victims of their dignity but also inflicts immense emotional damage, particularly on young individuals. Overwhelmed by shame, hopelessness, and isolation, these teenagers often find themselves with nowhere to turn. This is why the anti-sexual blackmail center was born. See at: ricatto sessuale