Allow me to introduce myself. I am the SVP of Marketing at Our Rescue. It is my job to help share stories of the vital work Our Rescue is doing, alongside our partners.
I recently read an article that kept me awake long after I shut out the lights, detailing the life of a 17-year-old Ohio boy, a comic book fan and track star, who died by suicide after being targeted in a sextortion scheme. My heart shattered for this young man’s future, for all who loved him, and for the terror he must have felt when his world turned upside down in a matter of minutes.
I have two teenage sons. I know what it feels like to love so fiercely and have your heart live outside your body, wanting to do anything to protect your child. I also know the worry of all the dangers that live in their devices, even though it’s the same technology that also keeps our kids safe and connected with their friends.
What is Sextortion?
If you haven’t heard the term sextortion by now, it’s not a buzzword. It’s a crime changing families forever. Sextortion is a form of child sexual exploitation. It happens when children are threatened with the public exposure of nude or sexual images by someone demanding more explicit content, sexual activity, or money in return.
Even more heart-wrenching, the Ohio teen who died by suicide over sextortion was not alone. Sextortion has been connected to at least 30 deaths of teen boys by suicide since 2021, according to the latest FBI numbers. In fact, over the past few years, the FBI has issued multiple public safety alerts about the escalating threat of financially motivated sextortion, particularly targeting minors.
That’s why I’m writing to you today about this very real and growing threat from those working sextortion cases everyday.
What I’ve Learned from the Frontlines
Recently, we spoke with two veteran law enforcement officers who are also parents: Sgt. Tarik Muslimovic of the Arlington Police Department’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit in Texas and Sgt. Julie Ballou of the Vancouver Police Department’s Digital Evidence Cyber Crime Unit in Washington. They shared the impact of sextortion, providing insight that is both chilling and clarifying.
1. Predators are targeting boys.
They’ve shifted tactics and pretend to be teenage girls, asking for a nude photo. Then the blackmail begins. “So the money driven ones are often, male victims. So it’s a young boy thinking he’s chatting with a young girl online, but in fact, it tends to be an adult male on the other line,” Sgt. Muslimovic tells us. “And when messages are exchanged, once that boy sends a nudes of himself, then they’re getting extorted for money.”
2. It’s happening fast—and everywhere.
This isn’t just an urban issue but is also happening in small towns, suburbs and across every community. Sometimes only hours pass from the first contact to a suicide attempt. In Vancouver, Sgt. Ballou tells us there is exponential growth in patrol calls for service involving sextortion cases with children.
3. AI has made it even worse.
Today, perpetrators have the ability to manipulate a child’s face onto fake explicit images, making the blackmail feel even more real. “AI can be used for even very simple peer pressure. It can often be used against children to make it present as something normal and common and all the other kids are doing it,” said Sgt. Ballou.
What I Want Every Parent to Know
It is scary, and the tendency is to want to hide from the problem. But we cannot let this crime live in the shadows. We need to empower our kids with the right conversations. Start the conversation early and often, well before they have phones and devices in hand. Additionally keep the lines of communication open and frequent. Teach them about online saftety. What to watch for. How to stay smart. How to have healthy conversations, and when those conversations cross a line. The truth is that they can have fun in an online world as they do in physical spaces, with the right precautions. And if someone does ask for a nude photo, even as a joke or a dare, they can always come to you for help and will never be in trouble for trusting you with this information.
Sgt. Muslimovic put it best. “Parents must create a safe space for kids to come forward. If your child tells you they’ve been targeted, don’t react with anger or shame. Instead, say: “Thank you for telling me. I know this must be difficult.” That kind of support can make all the difference,” he told Our Rescue.
What I Hope Every Child Would Know
The Ohio teen, James Woods, received more than 200 text messages from his predator.
“They eliminated his desire for a future,” his mother told USA Today. “I don’t think that James knew he was a victim.”
If you’re reading this, and someone is threatening you or your family online, please know you are not alone, or broken, or to blame. This is the work of a blackmailer. A predator. Someone committing a crime. Our Rescue and Law Enforcement are in your corner. Call the police immediately. For more help, visit missingkids.org/sextortion for confidential support.
I believe more heartbreak can only be prevented if we educate ourselves and link arms against sextortion. I don’t want another mother to utter those same words, and live with the same haunting questions, wondering what was in the mind of a child who was victimized.
Together, we can provide help, and hope, and a future beyond this moment. It’s shining bright, and we will show the light to those who need it most.
So today, start the conversation and keep it going. Our Rescue has a “Start Talking Guide” to begin the conversation.
And help fund the work of law enforcement to stop child exploitation, in your community, your state, the nation and around the world. Donate to Our Rescue today.