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Sextortion frequently starts online and can escalate quickly.

Kids are often afraid to seek help, and feelings of shame and desperation can lead to suicidal ideation.

Talking to kids about sextortion can help prevent victimization and teach kids how to respond to a problem.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, which can serve as a good opportunity to raise awareness among children, teens, and young people about the risks of sextortion. Sextortion is a form of blackmail where a perpetrator convinces a victim to share explicit images or videos and then threatens to distribute those materials more publicly unless the victim complies with ultimatums, which are commonly demands for additional images, money, or sex. The FBI has warned that sextortion is a rapidly growing crime. Kids can certainly be targeted by people whom they know in real life; however, they are often approached online through social media, messaging platforms, gaming platforms, and even video........

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