Royal Canadian Mounted Police / Gendarmerie royale du Canada

Language selection

FR

Search

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Sextortion

On this page

Sextortion is an online crime that is affecting youth across Canada, particularly those between the ages of 14-24. Sextortion can affect anyone no matter their gender, sexual identity or orientation. Everyone has a responsibility to protect youth and encourage them to speak out if they are being targeted. Being able to recognize sextortion is the first step.

It is important for youth to know that there is life after images. They may feel like their life is over or ruined, but they are not alone and life does go on after these threats and actions.

What is it?

Sextortion is a form of online blackmail where someone convinces you to send sexual images or videos of yourself, and then threatens to share them with others unless you pay, or send more images. They may threaten to share the content publicly on social media, or to send it to your friends and family.

How does it happen?

Sextorters often pose as similar age to trick youth into sending intimate images or unknowingly record youth while exposing themselves or engaging in a sexual act. The offender then threatens to release the photos unless the victim sends them money, gift cards, more photos or videos, or both. These sextorters use many techniques to manipulate and harm the victim. They rely on emotional threats and aggressive behaviour to get what they want as well as weaponize the victim's feeling of shame.

The impact on youth

Even though sextortion is committed virtually, it can have serious impacts offline. Youth can experience impacts to their mental health and physical health. They can be impacted financially, socially and feel like their privacy has been violated. After the threats and aggression, victims can be made to feel:

  • Alone
  • Ashamed
  • Anxious
  • Scared
  • Desperate

In some cases, victims can experience the extreme outcomes of sextortion, such as self-harm or even suicide. It's important to remember that there is help available and that there is life after images. You are not alone and it is not your fault.

Advice for youth

Warning signs

Sextorters are skilled at what they do, and their intentions may not always be evident from the start. However, there are a few common warning signs you can look out for:

  • Something about their online profile is inconsistent or something about them doesn't add up
    • This can include a lack of posts on their page, all of their posts being recently made, having a lack of friends/followers
  • They are overly flirtatious early in communications
  • The person expresses strong feelings for you right away, and wants to move the conversation to a more private platform
  • They propose exchanging intimate images or videos or pressure you to engage in inappropriate behaviour on camera in an online conversation

Important reminders

  • Trust your instincts and practice caution when communicating online
  • Not everyone you meet online is who they say they are
  • Whatever you share online may not stay private
  • Educate yourself on privacy settings for the online platforms that you use

If you have been targeted

  • Stop all communication with the sextorter or person you think is sextorting you
  • Do not comply with any threats and do not send money or more images
  • Save a copy of any images you sent and take screenshots of the messages and the person's profile including username or any other identifying information
  • Deactivate but do not delete your social media account or images
  • Do not accept any new friend requests after disengaging – this could be the sextorter trying to stay in contact with a new profile
  • Reach out to a trusted person such as a parent, guardian, teacher, Elder or anyone you trust
  • Report the incident:
    • Cybertip.ca allows you to report incidents anonymously
    • Get help removing pictures from the internet at NeedHelpNow.ca
    • Your local police
    • The online platform on which the incident occurred

Remember you are not the one to blame and you will not be in trouble – regardless of whether you accepted money, a gaming credit, or anything else. As a victim, the police are there to help and support you, you are not at fault. Sextortion is a form of blackmail, and the perpetrator is committing a crime. There is life after images.

The sextorter will behave like they have the ability to ruin your life. But they don't. There is help to bring the sextorter to justice and remove the images and videos from the internet!

Getting help

These resources can provide emotional support, counselling, information and referrals.

  • Kids Help Phone: Call 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868
  • Need Help Now provides information and answers questions on emotional support, reporting, and how to help a friend
  • Indigenous Help Line: Call or text 1-855-554-4325
  • Hope for Wellness Helpline – for all Indigenous people across Canada: Call 1-855-242-3310 or chat online
  • Black Youth Helpline: Call 1-833-294-8650
  • LGBT Youth Line: text 647-694-4275 or livechat
  • Canadians across the country can now call or text 9-8-8 for immediate and free mental health crisis support and suicide prevention intervention

Additional Resources

Date modified: