Online sexual Extortion of teens, mostly young girls, is a big problem in Utah.
Police and advocates for victims say the trauma experienced by victims in “sextortion” cases is similar to the trauma experienced by other victims of sexual assault.
“I think it’s important for folks to understand that this is a form of sexual violence,” said Sonya Martinez Ortiz, executive director of the Rape Recovery Center.
Young victims who are lured into sharing sexually explicit photos and videos, then threatened if they stop giving in to the perpetrator’s demands, are usually lured through popular apps like Snapchat, TikTok and others that aren’t so well-known to parents like Discord and Kik, according to Unified Police Department Sgt. Melody Cutler.
Cutler said often, some apps are disguised.
She pointed out an app that looks like a calculator but is a place to share videos and photos - and a place where predators find victims.
“These victims are severely traumatized. When you look at the things they are asked to do - some of them are horrific,” said Cutler.
One case recently investigated by Unified Police (UPD) involves a 17-year-old girl who gave explicit photos to an unknown person who solicited on SnapChat promising the girl money.
The girl gave in to the demands several times, but when the perpetrator asked for an explicit video, she refused. Then the perpetrator threatened to send the girl’s explicit photos to her family members, according to a search warrant.
The girl’s mother found her in the bathroom sobbing. She threw up and had diarrhea and stomach pain.
Martinez Ortiz said young victims in online “sextortion” cases are often groomed by the perpetrator in a slow and methodical way to establish trust. Then, little by little, they start enticing the victim to provide photos. Initially, the photos might not be sexual in nature.
“Maybe the first ask is small, then the asks increase,” said Martinez Ortiz.
Ortiz said based on the accounts of sexual violence survivors who seek help at the the Rape Recovery Center, it’s very clear that online extortion is an increasing problem and sometimes the perpetrators are not strangers, but peers of the victims.
In 2021 the Rape Recovery Center in Salt Lake has served 1,041 survivors of different types of sexual violence.
Ortiz said it’s important for parents to talk to children about consent and understand that, while they may consent to sending one person a private photo willingly, that photo can be shared and the person they trusted to have it can violate that trust.
Photos that are shared online are rarely recovered. In many extortion cases, they are sold as child porn.
Cutler said it’s important for parents to open apps their children are using and then talk to kids about the dangers of sharing photos with anybody. They also need to tell kids that if someone is trying to coax them with compliments or money, they should be aware.
She said if parents can give kids the power of knowing what to do, and knowing they can trust their parents to help them if they find trouble online, then that takes power away from perpetrators.
If you or someone you know is a survivor of rape or sexual assault, resources are available to help. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
The Utah-based Rape Recovery Center can be reached at 801-467-7273. A list of other rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence resources can be found online here.