Reporter Lisa Parent discussing sextortion with Detective Dean Jacobs

By Lisa Parent

VIDEO: The impact of sextortion on children and teens in the digital realm

Dec 4, 2023 | 4:40 PM

CALGARY, AB – If you have a young person in your life, you’ve likely noticed their significant time spent in the digital world. Yet, understanding what your kids are doing online and whether they might be exposed to potential dangers is crucial. One of those threats is sextortion, impacting kids and teens.

Sextortion involves coercing people into sharing explicit images or videos, later used for either financial blackmail or to obtain more sexual images or videos. Both boys and girls can be targeted, with boys aged ten to 17 being particularly vulnerable to financial blackmail.

Lisa Parent recently spoke with Detective Dean Jacobs from ALERT’s Southern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation Unit. He shared essential information to assist parents and their kids in staying safe online.

Watch the interview below.

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If you or someone you know is experiencing sextortion, help is available. Reach out to the Medicine Hat Police Service for assistance.

For additional resources, visit the following websites:

1. ALERT (Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams): [https://alert-ab.ca/]
2. Cybertip.ca: [https://cybertip.ca/en/]

These resources can provide support and guidance in dealing with sextortion.