Sexual extortion, commonly referred to as “sextortion”, is a type of exploitation that involves coercion to extort sexual favors from the victim. Instead of extorting money or material goods from a victim, a criminal will blackmail their victims will use sexual images or videos to force sexual favors from the victim using intimidation, fear, threats, deceit, and blackmail.
In order to blackmail effectively, the perpetrator will use personal information or embarrassing images that the victim has formerly sent to them or that they have discovered themselves, through hacking. The perpetrator then threatens to address these images or messages to the friends, family, school or workplace of the victim unless they share more sexual content or transfer money to them.
People who sext may find themselves victims of sextortion. Sex texting, known as “sexting” for short, is the sending, receiving, or forwarding of sexual photos or sexually indecent messages through text message or email.
While many people are victims of sexual extortion, they often fail to report it to authorities out of embarrassment or shame.
Sextortion is a crime. No one has the right to extort sexual material from someone.
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Sextortion can happen through a range of methods, but here are a some general scenarios:
Is when someone sends an email and the extortionist send you your passwords and your email account. They threathen you to publish explicit photos or videos if you don't send them money. Some of these scams are based on password harvesting.
If you've ever sent intimate images or videos via social media or a chat app, or have them stored on your phone cloud, someone could get them by hacking into your account. They could also use your account to share images with friends, family members, and colleagues if you don't submit with their demands.
¡ Is a Type of scam that start with some "harmless" encounters online, such as social media or dating apps. Sooner or later, the extortionis will intimidate the victim into sending private images or performing sexual acts while on camera. The resulting audiovisual material can then be held to ransom.
Some of the creepiest cases of sextortion involve malware being downloaded onto the victim's device. Once there, it can allow a hacker to take control of cameras and microphones and install keyloggers. This means someone could monitor your ever move (in the vicinity of your computer).
There a number of reasons that people sextort others. Some of these reasons include:
Sometimes the sextortionist might use someone else's compromising images or message to blackmail money or valuable things from them. The victims will sometimes do what the blackmailer will say to avoid the risk of their compromising images or messages being made public.
If someone sends "sexts" or explicit images to another person, that person can then use the images to sexually blackmail.
When relationships break down, some people use images that were shared whilst in the relationship to blackmail their ex-partner. This specific type of sextortion is referred to as "revenge porn."
Unfortunately, there are people who enjoy seeing people humiliated or terrified of being humiliated. These people threaten to release sexually messages and images with the purpose of making the victim anxious.
If you are being sextorted, it can be very scary. It is important to remember you are not alone, even though you might feel it right now. Our team of sex abuse attorneys can help you. Here are few simple steps that you can take if you are being blackmailed online:
When going through something like sextortion, it's important that you have a good support group that can advise you. Talking to someone that you trust can help you.
When you're being blackmailed, it can feel like you don't have any other option but to submit with what the sextornist is asking of you. It is important that you don't burst under the pressure. If you give in, they will continue to do it.
Blackmail constitutes a criminal offense. Remember to record any evidence you can to make prosecution more likely.
Calling a sex abuse attorney will allow you to seek justice for the damages you have suffered.
We understand the physical, emotional, and mental effects victims of sextortion experience. It is important to remember the you are not alone.
If you or a loved one is a victim of sexual extortion or blackmail, call Ovadia Law Group at 1-800-674-9396 for a discreet and confidential consultation with one of our sex abuse attorneys. We are here to help you!
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