Acne or a bad hair day can be a monumental crisis of shame for teenagers..So, imagine the agony and humiliation they suffer when sextortion predators lure them into a web, then threaten to distribute online sexually explicit photos they’re duped into providing..For teens, image is everything, insecurity and loneliness may prevail, curiosity and hormones rage, trust too easily given away..It’s a perfect storm for con artists with ice-water flowing through their veins to trap victims to extort money..Adults who make horrifically embarrassing mistakes learn they can eventually overcome and carry on with their heads held high..Vulnerable teens think it’s the end of their world. For some it tragically is..Last February, Manitoba’s Daniel Lints, 17, accepted a message request on Snapchat allegedly from an attractive female who convinced him to send an explicit sexual image..Within minutes came a blackmail attempt, a threat to make the image go viral..Three hours later he committed suicide..Whoever targeted him is still out there, likely tormenting others..READ MORE Sextortion plot leads to Manitoba teen suicide .In 2012, BC’s Amanda Todd killed herself after posting a video in which she used flashcards to detail her torment for three years by a cyberbully..Serial sextortionist Dutch national Aydin Coban, 44, was recently found guilty of extortion, harassment, communication with a young person to commit a sexual offence and possession and distribution of child pornography. .He awaits sentencing..READ MORE Jury returns with guilty verdicts in Amanda Todd sextortion case.This filthy beast got caught..Most don’t. .Lints and Todd aren’t the only ones. Suicides occur globally..Despite the massive attention Todd’s heartbreaking story received — the number of victims climbs in Canada..This scam has been going on for a decade, with a 300% reported increase during that time frame, according to Statistics Canada. .Law enforcement in numerous countries warn about unprecedented spikes. .A recent analysis by the Winnipeg-based Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) said boys and young men represented 92% of victims in sextortion crimes..Some 50% of them were under 18. In 13% of cases age was unknown..In July, C3P opened 322 cases reported to the national tip line Cybertip.ca, compared with 85 in July 2021..Instagram (42%) and Snapchat (38%) are favorite hunting grounds, according to 70% of the reported victims who disclosed the platforms they were targeted on..Others included WhatsApp (5.6%), Facebook (3.6%) and Apple’s iMessage (1.2%)..The July analysis is a snapshot. Cybertop.ca fields about 300 cases every month..The C3P analysis revealed another sick tactic. .Victims are sent nude photos of children from a fake account. Predators then threaten to report their possession of child sexual abuse material to police if they don’t send money..“It is incredulous that social media platforms allow total adult strangers to directly reach out and target our children without any consequence,” said Lianna McDonald, Executive Director for C3P..“This continues to reinforce the need for the public to ask questions and for the government to step in and impose regulatory guardrails for the technology industry.” .Perhaps the federal government should focus less on pushing social media platforms to crack down on critics — and more on making them protect youth..Don’t expect help from the flawed Bill C-11, which seeks to regulate the internet and force Big Tech companies to support select media outlets based on what government deems appropriate..Sextortion predators, operating out in the global ozone, aren’t Liberal regime critics..Experts committed to protecting sextortion victims plead for more regulation, law enforcement, and education..Educators can’t be shy about broaching this sensitive sexual topic. They have no problem teaching kids about sexuality..The Manitoba Teacher’s Society offers an array of 2STLGBQIA+ Lesson Plans..Starting in kindergarten students learn about ‘personal identity.’ It progresses to middle and senior grades with gender roles, gender identity, sexual orientation, and everything associated with Pride..There’s emphasis on transgendered and gender-diverse education. .These priorities aren’t specific to Manitoba. It’s happening across Canada..Fine, if that’s what parents want. .Fair question: If the education system’s hellbent on getting kids to become extraordinarily aware of their sexuality, then not teaching them to protect themselves against predators, could this be contributing to the problem?.Perhaps some educators are tackling the sextortion problem. But whatever they may be doing, is obviously not enough..Predators are masters of manipulating youth to not trust anyone, to suffer in silent shame..Experts urge parents or guardians to talk openly to their kids. .Some youth might not have anyone they can talk to or think they can talk to. .C3P zeroed in on reported cases..How many other victims are out there?.The link to the national Cybertip.ca tipline should be plastered on every school bulletin board, billboards, and electronic device teens use..Then chances of preventing victims of sextortion would be higher than the odds now of catching the predators who hunt them to make a few bucks.
