Sextortion – Key Resources
Key resources for financially motivated sexual extortion
Financially motivated sexual extortion is a type of online blackmail, often referred to as ‘sextortion’. This type of crime involves an adult offender threatening to release nude or semi-nude images and/or videos of an individual, unless they pay money, meet another financial demand (for example, purchasing a pre-paid gift card). Victims of any age and gender can be targeted.
Children and young people are never to blame if they have been targeted.
Resources for professionals
Please note: As a safeguarding issue, education to protect children and young people from online sexual abuse should be considered carefully and as such, is not suitable for delivery in large audiences such as assemblies. Children and young people need to explore topics such as financially motivated sexual extortion in a forum that allows professionals to support them, check understanding and take questions. Education should also be delivered on the assumption that those receiving it may have lived-experienced of this harm, or know someone who has.
UK Council for Internet Safety – Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people
Resources for parents and carers
Internet Watch Foundation – TALK checklist
Follow the IWF’s TALK checklist to help keep your child safe online.
NSPCC Helpline – Phone: 0808 800 5000
Internet Mattters
Remember: If your child has sent a nude or semi-nude image or video of themselves and is concerned that this has been or may be shared online, you can take these 3 steps to try and support them in getting it removed:
- Use Report Remove, a tool from Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation. Your child can use this to remove images that have been shared or might be shared.
- Use Take It Down, a tool from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Your child can use this to remove or stop the online sharing of images or videos.
- Report directly to the platform or app that the incident has occurred on. For advice on how to report to major social media platforms, visit Internet Matters.
Resources for children and young people
If you have been a victim of financially motivated sexual extortion, report to the police or the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Safety Centre.
If you are concerned that you or another young person are in immediate danger, call 999.
Childnet – Sextortion: Advice for young people
Meta – Stop Sextortion
Remember: If you have sent a nude or semi-nude image or video of yourself and are concerned that this has been or may be shared online, you can take these 3 steps to try and get it removed:
- Use Report Remove, a tool from Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation. Your child can use this to remove images that have been shared or might be shared.
- Use Take It Down, a tool from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Your child can use this to remove or stop the online sharing of images or videos.
- Report directly to the platform or app that the incident has occurred on. For advice on how to report to major social media platforms, visit Internet Matters.
If the individual is over 18 and in need of support, please contact the Revenge Porn Helpline at www.revengepornhelpline.org.uk
Supporting Articles
UK Safer Internet Centre Publishes Sextortion Report
The UK Safer Internet Centre has published a new report examining sextortion cases on SWGfL’s Revenge Porn Helpline from August…
Snapchat includes new features to protect against sextortion
Snapchat has announced some new features aimed to support users against sextortion and other online harms.
New online issue page released to support with responding to sextortion incidents
We have prepared a brand new online issue page to guide professionals, parents, carers, and young people through sextortion.
National Crime Agency Issues Financially Motivated Sexual Extortion Alert to UK Schools
The National Crime Agency has issued an alert to educational establishments across the UK about the rise in financially motivated…