WHAT IT IS
Digital exploitation, or sextortion, is when intimate images and/or videos are saved and used to extort money or additional sexual content from victims. Children and teenagers are at highest risk.
Perpetrators can be strangers or someone the victim knows and use a variety of tactics to trap victims.
If the perpetrator is someone the victim knows, they will leverage that relationship to obtain intimate images.
When the perpetrator is a stranger, the sextortion typically begins with online enticement. Perpetrators approach victims through online platforms such as social media and games. They pretend to be someone the victim’s age and develop a fictitious romantic relationship or friendship with the victim– a process called catfishing. They then exploit that relationship to convince the victim to send sexual content.
Perpetrators, whether strangers or someone the victim knows, may also offer the victim something of value in exchange for the images and videos.
Once the perpetrator has the content, they threaten to release the pictures or videos if their demands are not met. These demands can be for money, more content, or escalated sexual content.
Even if the images were shared consensually, using blackmail or threats to extort additional images, sexual acts, or money from an individual is illegal. If the victim is a minor, they cannot consent to any sexual activity, including nude images and videos, under Indiana law.
Sextortion can occur over any mobile device or through any online platform people use to communicate. This includes all social media platforms, messaging apps, websites, and online games. These games can be accessed through gaming systems such as Xboxes and PlayStations, on cell phones and tables, and on PCs.
Federal and Indiana laws prohibit sextortion, including Indiana Code 35-45-4-8, which prohibits distribution of intimate images without the subject’s consent.
Perpetrators can be strangers or someone the victim knows and use a variety of tactics to trap victims.
If the perpetrator is someone the victim knows, they will leverage that relationship to obtain intimate images.
When the perpetrator is a stranger, the sextortion typically begins with online enticement. Perpetrators approach victims through online platforms such as social media and games. They pretend to be someone the victim’s age and develop a fictitious romantic relationship or friendship with the victim– a process called catfishing. They then exploit that relationship to convince the victim to send sexual content.
Perpetrators, whether strangers or someone the victim knows, may also offer the victim something of value in exchange for the images and videos.
Once the perpetrator has the content, they threaten to release the pictures or videos if their demands are not met. These demands can be for money, more content, or escalated sexual content.
Even if the images were shared consensually, using blackmail or threats to extort additional images, sexual acts, or money from an individual is illegal. If the victim is a minor, they cannot consent to any sexual activity, including nude images and videos, under Indiana law.
Sextortion can occur over any mobile device or through any online platform people use to communicate. This includes all social media platforms, messaging apps, websites, and online games. These games can be accessed through gaming systems such as Xboxes and PlayStations, on cell phones and tables, and on PCs.
Federal and Indiana laws prohibit sextortion, including Indiana Code 35-45-4-8, which prohibits distribution of intimate images without the subject’s consent.
THE CRISIS
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children operates a tipline for victims of online enticement, which includes sextortion. That tipline fielded 186,819 online enticement reports in 2023, a 323% increase over 2021.
The FBI reports a rise in deaths by suicide among teenage male victims of financially motivated sextortion.
A 2017 study by the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative found that 1in 12 adult American social media users were threatened with nonconsensual distribution of intimate images (NDII), and 1 in 8 were victims of NDII. Sextortion is a type of NDII.
The same 2017 study found that women are about 1.7 times more likely to experience NDII and image-based sexual abuse than men.
Survivors of sextortion often deal with mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Sextortion can lead to bullying, stalking and harassment, both online and offline.
The FBI reports a rise in deaths by suicide among teenage male victims of financially motivated sextortion.
A 2017 study by the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative found that 1in 12 adult American social media users were threatened with nonconsensual distribution of intimate images (NDII), and 1 in 8 were victims of NDII. Sextortion is a type of NDII.
The same 2017 study found that women are about 1.7 times more likely to experience NDII and image-based sexual abuse than men.
Survivors of sextortion often deal with mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Sextortion can lead to bullying, stalking and harassment, both online and offline.
Types of Digital Exploitation
Financial Sextortion
When a perpetrator uses intimate images to extort money from their victims, they commit financial sextortion, also called financially motivated sextortion.
Perpetrators typically begin by demanding an amount low enough to convince victims to pay before increasing their demands. No amount will ever be enough to stop the threats.
Perpetrators may also promise to delete the images if their demands are met. This is a lie.
Typically, perpetrators demand money be sent through digital gift cards but may also demand bank account or credit card numbers.
This type of sextortion is generally committed by organized crime groups and criminals both domestically and from abroad.
Male teens between 14 and 17 years of age are at highest risk for financial sextortion.
Nonconsensual pornography
Also called revenge porn – though the crime is rarely motivated by revenge – nonconsensual pornography involves the sharing of intimate images or videos without the permission of the person in them. When perpetrators threaten to share the images to extort additional content and sexual acts from victims or to control their behaviors, it is sextortion.
The images may have been consensual when shared, then used as a means of control. Other times, perpetrators force victims to produce the images or take them without the victim’s knowledge.
In an intimate partner relationship, sextortion can occur alongside other forms of domestic and sexual violence as an additional means of control. They may demand the victim stay in the relationship or comply with their demands regarding children or distribution of property in a separation.
Young women (age 18-29) and teenage girls are at highest risk for this type of sextortion.
Regardless of the type of sextortion you’re facing, it is not your fault. Sextortion is a crime, and the fault lies with the perpetrator. Help and support are available to you.
When a perpetrator uses intimate images to extort money from their victims, they commit financial sextortion, also called financially motivated sextortion.
Perpetrators typically begin by demanding an amount low enough to convince victims to pay before increasing their demands. No amount will ever be enough to stop the threats.
Perpetrators may also promise to delete the images if their demands are met. This is a lie.
Typically, perpetrators demand money be sent through digital gift cards but may also demand bank account or credit card numbers.
This type of sextortion is generally committed by organized crime groups and criminals both domestically and from abroad.
Male teens between 14 and 17 years of age are at highest risk for financial sextortion.
Nonconsensual pornography
Also called revenge porn – though the crime is rarely motivated by revenge – nonconsensual pornography involves the sharing of intimate images or videos without the permission of the person in them. When perpetrators threaten to share the images to extort additional content and sexual acts from victims or to control their behaviors, it is sextortion.
The images may have been consensual when shared, then used as a means of control. Other times, perpetrators force victims to produce the images or take them without the victim’s knowledge.
In an intimate partner relationship, sextortion can occur alongside other forms of domestic and sexual violence as an additional means of control. They may demand the victim stay in the relationship or comply with their demands regarding children or distribution of property in a separation.
Young women (age 18-29) and teenage girls are at highest risk for this type of sextortion.
Regardless of the type of sextortion you’re facing, it is not your fault. Sextortion is a crime, and the fault lies with the perpetrator. Help and support are available to you.
Sexting And sextortion
Sexting is the electronic sharing of nude or partially nude images. Sexting can escalate to sextortion when the person receiving the images uses them to threaten, blackmail, or control the sender.
Indiana law prohibits the sharing and possession of nude or partially nude images and videos of minors by anyone, including other teens. Sexting between teens, even if consensual, is illegal in the state of Indiana and can result in criminal charges for the teens involved.
More information can be found at https://ctip.defense.gov/CTIP-Student-Guide/courseFiles/ContentPages/CoursePages/action-card-10.html
Indiana law prohibits the sharing and possession of nude or partially nude images and videos of minors by anyone, including other teens. Sexting between teens, even if consensual, is illegal in the state of Indiana and can result in criminal charges for the teens involved.
More information can be found at https://ctip.defense.gov/CTIP-Student-Guide/courseFiles/ContentPages/CoursePages/action-card-10.html
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