Campaign launched to protect young people from blackmail scams

A campaign has been launched across Scotland to protect young people from sex blackmail, as the number of global cases more than doubles every year, according to data.

Crimestoppers’ new Fearless campaign has urged young people aged 13-21 who may be victims of sextortion not to pay or comply with the perpetrators of the crime and instead seek help.

Sex blackmail is when criminals threaten to share nude or semi-nude photos of their victims, usually with the victim’s personal contacts on social media, if money is not paid or the victim does not comply with their demands.

The image can be a real photo taken by the victim or a fake photo created by the criminal to blackmail.

The campaign, launched by the Scottish Government and Police Scotland, says the majority of sexual blackmail cases involve male victims aged 14-18 and that by 2023, 91% of victims will be male.

Fearless is the arm of Crimestoppers dedicated to helping children and young people.

It launched the new campaign after the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) said the number of reported sexual extortion cases would more than double globally in 2023, rising to 26,718 from 10,731 the previous year.

The campaign aims to reach its target audience through social media applications such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.

Emphasizing that every young person can be affected, he explained that this situation is not their fault, they are not alone and help is possible.

Sex blackmail scammers often work alone, but there are organized crime gangs that use blackmail as a means of financial gain, and even entire contact centers operate abroad for the purpose of profiting from crime.

The campaign also aims to raise awareness of crime by providing advice to adults who work with and care for young people.

Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Scotland manager at Crimestoppers, said: “We know that sextortion can have a huge and devastating impact on the victim, especially if they feel they cannot get help due to embarrassment or fear of being judged or getting in trouble.

“When developing the campaign, I worked with a number of youth groups across the country to find out what young people’s understanding of sexual blackmail was, what gaps we could fill and, importantly, what they could engage with on social media.

“Fear of getting into trouble was a big concern for young people; So to be clear, if this happened to you, it’s not your fault; you are a victim.

“You won’t face any charges, people just want to help you. Please talk to an adult, go directly to the police or contact Childline.

“And as a mother of teenagers myself, I know how difficult this topic can seem for adults. To learn more, please visit our website Fearless.org and consider talking about this with your teen.

“More than anything, they need to know that if something like this happens to them, they can come to you and they will be supported to get through it.”

Underreporting of sexual blackmail is thought to be high due to the intimate nature of the crime.

Minister for Victims and Community Safety, Siobhian Brown, said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Government is jointly funding this important Fearless campaign, which will highlight the increasing incidence of sexual blackmail involving our young people, in partnership with Police Scotland.

“Sex blackmail has a devastating impact on young people and their families and I know it can be a difficult topic to discuss or families may not even be aware of.

“I want to reassure young people that this is never your fault – please do not panic or pay, instead get help by speaking to a trusted adult or support service and report sexual blackmail to the police.

“Remember, you will get through this and you will be supported to do so.”

Police Scotland’s deputy chief constable, Steve Johnson, said: “Sexual blackmail is an insidious, despicable crime and a form of blackmail. “I would advise anyone targeted not to pay and not to hesitate or be afraid to report it to the police or someone else such as a parent, friend or teacher.

“The Fearless campaign, which we welcome and wholeheartedly support, will help raise awareness of these crimes among those likely to be targeted and reassure them that support is available from the police and partner agencies.

“We know that sextortion is a crime that is likely to be under-reported and that everyone targeted is a victim. They should not panic because they have done nothing wrong, they will be treated with respect and dignity in confidence and the circumstances will be fully investigated sensitively and professionally.”

Sexual blackmail can be reported directly to the police or by contacting Childline on 0800 1111 or via the website childline.org.uk.