Sextortion: Cybersex Blackmail is Increasing

Source: Photo by Maru Lombardo on Unsplash

‘Sextortion’ or webcam blackmail is an example of organised digital crime, and research indicates that it has increased during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The term sextortion is a combination of ‘sexual’ and ‘extortion,' and is used to describe when victims, usually men but sometimes women, are encouraged to perform sexual acts remotely, in front of their webcam, which are recorded. Often, but not always, the victim is unaware they are being recorded. These digital recordings and photos are then used to blackmail individuals, whereby the blackmailer threatens to publish the material online and send to family and friends, and work colleagues etc. unless the victim pays.

It seems victims are contacted out of the blue by an ‘enticer’. Enticers will target individuals through dating apps and pornography sites, and via the social media platforms that most people use. They may catfish, that is use a fake identity and pose as someone else (usually young, beautiful, handsome and/or rich), and reach out remotely sending bulk messages to numerous potential victims.

The content and style of the sexting type messages are designed to hook individuals. When a recipient responds, very quickly the digital conversation is flirtatious and sexually exciting, and can even feel like a relationship or friendship at times. Trust is apparently built quickly, and in the excitement of the moment victims are disinhibited and perform sex acts or send sexual photos. The damage is done.

Sextortion is unique in that unlike other forms of sexual crime, the victim and perpetrator never interact offline, and so in-person face-to-face contact is absent. Online disinhibition undoubtedly plays a role in enabling sextortion, because so many people believe that digital communication is anonymous and safe. Individuals often report feeling like a different person, and as such they behave differently. Online disinhibition reduces behavioural restraint, and therefore can often result in inappropriate self-disclosure, toxic behaviours such as cyber bullying and fantasy sexual behaviours which many individuals would not engage in during offline face-to-face relationships.

Men are at a far higher risk that women of becoming a victim of sextortion, but men are most often the perpetrators, too. Recent research has suggested men fall victim more often because they tend to be targeted more regularly, spend more time online and have a tendency to be less selective when seeking sexual partners. Gender differences in constructing online identities may also account for higher risk of being a victim of sextortion for men (Huang et al., 2017). Some ethnic differences have also emerged (Eaton et al., 2022). For example, Black and native American women were found to be victims of sextortion more often during the pandemic than other groups. Likewise LGBTQ individuals, and adolescents.

Although increased reporting has highlighted the increase in sextortion over the past few years, it is very likely an under reported crime. Victims feel extremely foolish and embarrassed. Partners and the public are not empathetic in the same way as they might be with victims of other types of crime. But, police and victim organisations are urging victims to report when they have been a victim, and not to pay.

If you have fallen victim to sextortion, the guidance is very clear:

• Don’t pay.
• Save the evidence: Take screenshots. Save messages and images. Collect URL links to where the information is being shared online.
• Report it to social media companies if communication happened on these channels.
• Report it to your internet service provider
• Block all communication with the person targeting you.

But, it is better to avoid becoming a victim in the first place. There are some simple rules of thumb which when combined with self-awareness about your mood, for example, should help prevent you falling prey.

• Don’t over share and post too much personal information online
• Use all your social media privacy settings
• Use nicknames on dating sites
• Never accept unknown friends
• Cover your webcam
• Don’t click on links or download files.