Sextortion cases jump by 62 per cent, teen boys biggest target
A disturbing new report shows cases of sextortion have increased by 62 per cent over the last six months, with teen boys being the biggest target.
The report was authored by Cybertip.ca, Canada's national child sexual abuse and exploitation tipline run by The Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
"So sextortion is essentially blackmail related to the distribution and recording of sexual abuse and exploitation material," said Stephen Sauer, Cybertip.ca's director.
"A teen may be engaged in an online conversation with an individual. They may be coerced into undressing or a sexual act that is then recorded, and then the individual comes back to them and threatens to share that recording with family and friends if they don't pay a certain amount of money."
Cybertip.ca's report found that males aged 15-17 are most at risk for sextortion.
"They are online exploring their sexuality. They are connecting with individuals they don't know and they are really looking for an outlet for social interaction," said Sauer.
"I think the individuals who are exploiting these youth really understand how youth are vulnerable in this space and understand that often they will quickly comply once they are threatened because they don't want anybody to find out that this happened to them."
Sauer believes more needs to be done to protect youth online.
"We see with online platforms like Snapchat and Instagram being the initial way to contact youth. There has to be regulation put in place to ensure that individuals don't have that access to youth and children on these types of platforms because it really is a gateway to exploitation."
Victims of sexploitation should report it immediately, Sauer said.
"The first thing parents should do is report to Cybertip.ca or your local law enforcement when your child is a victim of sextortion."
Sauer said victims should never comply with the demands of the person trying to blackmail them.
"One of the things we want parents to ensure their youth isn't complying with the demands. If they believe the youth has complied with the demands, make sure to stop the money and ensure that money doesn't go through if possible.”
"Save all the chats as a result of this and then connect with us. If they think the material has been shared, then we can certainly help with that."
More information can be found at Cybertip.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
A renewed Russian offensive on Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine forces some 1,700 civilians to flee
Russian forces began a renewed ground assault in Ukraine's northeast, killing and injuring several people and forcing more than 1,700 civilians to evacuate from the Kharkiv region, officials said Saturday.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.