KIRO
Keep It Real Online
Sextortion
What it is
Sextortion is blackmail: someone convinces or pressures a child into sharing an intimate image or video, then threatens to release it unless they pay money or send more. It escalates fast, and shame keeps most victims silent for far too long.
What it looks like on your child's phone
- Sudden secrecy or panic around phone notifications
- Requests to borrow money with no clear reason
- Talk of a "friend" or relationship they won’t explain
- Signs of panic, sleeplessness, or withdrawal that appeared suddenly
What to do tonight
- Stop all contact with the person blackmailing them — do not pay, do not send more
- Tell your child clearly: this is not their fault, even if they sent the image first
- Screenshot everything without deleting the conversation
- Report immediately to cybercrime.gov.in or call 1098 — for a live threat, call 112
What the law says in India
The POCSO Act and Sections 66E/67B of the IT Act both apply — a minor cannot consent to sexual images of themselves, so consent is never a legal defence for the person exploiting them. This is treated as a crime against the child, not something the child did wrong.
General information, not legal advice.
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