The National Crime Agency (NCA) has issued a warning to teachers following a significant increase in cases of sextortion worldwide. Sextortion is a form of blackmail in which individuals are threatened with the release of intimate pictures, unless they comply with the blackmailer’s demands. The NCA has urged teachers to discuss the dangers of the crime with pupils, after the number of cases reported to the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children rose from 10,731 to 26,718 between 2022 and 2023. In response, the NCA sent the alert to hundreds of thousands of education professionals worldwide as it seeks to support young people who are targeted.
Male victims aged 14 to 18 make up a significant number of cases, but this crime affects individuals of all ages and genders, according to the NCA. Victims are typically sent a nude photo before being asked to send a compromising image back. Blackmailers then threaten to release the image online unless the victim meets their demands. The NCA has identified that sextortion cases are carried out by organised crime groups overseas. Many of these groups are based in West African countries, but some are also located in South East Asia.
The NCA’s guidance aims to end the stigma around sextortion and prepare educators to discuss the topic with parents and guardians. The agency has stated that it hopes the guidance will raise awareness amongst young people and encourage them to report incidents to the police or other trusted adults. James Babbage, the director general for threats at the NCA, described sextortion as a “callous crime”. Ros Dowey, the mother of a victim, stated that the NCA’s recognition of the crime as a significant threat was “a really positive move”.
The rise in sextortion cases underscores the need for education on safe internet usage. Experts advise that young people should be cautious before sending compromising images and should never send photos to people they do not know well. To those who may find themselves in a difficult situation and are considering self-harm, or worse, Mary Dowey advised that “nothing is worth taking your own life over” and encouraged people to seek support. Help and support is available via the BBC Action Line to those affected
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