Daily Wire Reporter Amanda Prestigiacomo Highlights Our Rescue CEO Tammy Lee in Coverage of Sextortion Crisis
A devastating trend is quietly claiming the lives of young boys across the United States: online sextortion. A recent Daily Wire article and Morning Wire podcast episode sheds light on this rising crisis, revealing that dozens of teenage boys have taken their own lives after being manipulated and blackmailed online.
At Our Rescue, we are heartbroken by this reality—and we are not standing still.
Sextortion is a form of online exploitation where predators coerce victims into sending explicit content and then threaten to release that content to family and friends unless demands are met. It is a serious crime, and it is on the rise. What’s particularly alarming is how often boys are targeted and how rarely they speak out. The shame and fear these teens feel can be overwhelming, and in too many tragic cases, fatal.
As Our Rescue CEO Tammy Lee emphasized in the article, this issue demands immediate attention. “We really believe that every parent has to take this to be one of the most serious threats against their children of our time, because predators are everywhere.”
Despite the growing dangers children face online, a 2019 survey by Kaspersky found that parents spend an average of just 46 minutes—over the course of their child’s entire life—talking to them about online safety. That’s less than an hour to prepare kids for a digital world filled with hidden threats, including predators using social media, gaming platforms, and AI-generated content to exploit and extort. At Our Rescue, we believe these conversations are not optional—they’re essential. That’s why we created the Start Talking Guide, a practical, easy-to-use resource designed to help parents and caregivers break the silence.
In January of 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning about the global financial sextortion crisis.
How Our Rescue Is Responding
We are committed to protecting children from exploitation—online and offline. Here’s how we’re helping fight sextortion:
- Intelligence and Law Enforcement Collaboration: We support law enforcement globally in identifying and apprehending predators who prey on minors through digital platforms. Our team of experts helps gather intelligence, trace digital footprints, and build strong cases that lead to arrests and convictions.
- Training and Prevention: Offense is our strongest defense. That’s why we train and equip parents, teachers, and youth with tools to recognize the signs of grooming, understand the risks of online interactions, and respond effectively to threats. We’re working to shift the conversation and empower families to stay informed and vigilant. You can find our guide to understanding sextortion here.
This fight starts with awareness—but it must end with action. Let’s protect our children from the predators lurking behind screens. Let’s create a world where no child or teen feels so trapped that they believe suicide is their only escape.
If you suspect sextortion or online exploitation, report it immediately to your local authorities and to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at CyberTipline.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST.
Read the full article from The Daily Wire here or listen to The Morning Wire podcast here.