Sextortion is a crime that takes more from the victim than their money and intimate images. It can do a world of damage to an individual’s trust, self-image, and mental wellbeing. This emotional toll is often felt far after the harassment has concluded and can leave the victim feeling like they have nowhere to turn. It’s important to remember that sextortion is never the victim’s fault, and it happens to more people than you might think. Remediation is possible, so continue reading to learn what you can do to recover from sextortion.
Immediate Steps for Sextortion Recovery
Sextortion schemes progress rapidly and require quick action for a successful recovery. The following actions should be taken immediately to mitigate damage and begin moving forward:
- Don’t Blame Yourself: Sextortionists will try their best to isolate and shame you for engaging in a behavior that roughly one-third of Americans have done. Remember that this is not your fault. The criminal is the one who is doing something wrong.
- Cut off Communication: Continuing to engage your sextortionist only encourages them to continue their attack. You should cut off communication with the perpetrator and block them once you’ve completed a thorough investigation. No matter what, you should absolutely never pay them or entertain their demands.
- Collect Evidence: You need to collect evidence of the sextortion. Take screenshots of any identifiable information, threatening messages, and any other content that helps illustrate the crime that has occurred.
- Notify Authorities: With the evidence you’ve collected, inform both law enforcement and the platform that the crime occurred on of the sextortion scam. This is crucial for your own security and also helps these organizations improve the online safety of others moving forward.
Content Removal Resources for Sextortion
You will want to act quickly to get your nudes off the internet to mitigate damage and improve your sextortion recovery. Start by informing the platform. This can help remove both the content and the sextortionist’s profile while also protecting you and others from future harm.
You can learn more about the process of informing and removing explicit content on the various social media platforms by reading these articles:
You can also have content removed or deindexed from Google search results by filling out a removal request form. To do this:
- Visit this link and select “Content contains nudity or sexual material” and your country.
- Select the option that most appropriately describes your case and whether you were of legal age when depicted.
- Provide all URLs and search terms that provide results containing the content and any additional information that provides context.
- Submit your removal request.
External Tools for Content Removal
- Take It Down: This free tool is offered by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for minor victims of sextortion. It uses hash-based matching to take down non-consensual intimate image (NCII) abuse and prevent reposting.
- org: This tool operates in a similar fashion to Take It Down for sextortion victims above the age of 18. It also employs hash-based matching to remove and keep down exposed nudes.
Take Care of Yourself: Emotional Support for Victims
As mentioned, sextortion can have long-lasting psychological ramifications that can be difficult to recover from, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. However, it is still very possible to regain control of your life post-sextortion. It’s natural to feel these emotions, but remember that it is not your fault, recovery is possible, and there is help available.
Crisis Hotlines
There are resources that are available for sextortion victims who need support, advice, or just someone to listen. They include:
- Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network: RAINN is the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the U.S. They operate the National Sexual Assault Hotline, which can be reached at (800) 656-HOPE (4673).
- Cyber Civil Rights Initiative: The CCRI runs a Crisis Hotline that connects victims of NCII abuse with compassionate representatives who can provide guidance and support. You can reach the hotline at (844) 878-CCRI (2247).
- Crisis Text Line:Crisis Text Line is a 24/7, text-based outlet that provides mental health and crisis intervention with a focus on empathy and judgement-free support. You can reach them by texting HOME to 741741.
- 988 Lifeline:The 988 Lifeline provides an around-the-clock call center for those suffering with their mental health to receive complementary and confidential counseling. You can reach the Lifeline by dialing the three digits in its name, 988.
Mental Health Professionals
The emotions brought on by sextortion are intense and may require the assistance of a mental health professional. Consider the benefits of these services when approaching the road to recovery from sextortion:
- National Alliance on Mental Illness: NAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the U.S. They work to provide advocacy, education, and support for those struggling with mental health by spreading awareness and creating a community of care.
- BetterHelp: BetterHelp is an online therapy service with more than 30,000 licensed therapists that have helped over 5 million clients. They aim to make therapy more accessible and affordable by offering their services online.
Support Groups
There are groups that consist of sextortion victims who share their stories and provide advice and support for each other. Psychology Today offers a directory where you can enter your city or zip code and find nearby sexual abuse support groups. Being able to confide in people with a similar experience in a judgement-free zone can help alleviate some of the feelings of isolation that are common in sextortion victims.
Help Others: Share Your Story if You Feel Comfortable
One way sextortion victims can find some positive light in a terribly negative event is by vocalizing their experiences and helping spread awareness of this growing problem. If you feel comfortable, share your story with friends, family, and other victims.
This can help champion a necessary conversation about sextortion and foster collective efforts to combat the crime. Many former victims express relief after talking about their experience with their close circle. Not only does it help protect others from sextortion threats, but it can help the victim realize they are not alone.
Advice for Support Systems: How You Can Help Your Loved Ones Recover
As we’ve addressed, sextortion is an extremely isolating crime. Victims need to be able to turn to their support system for help, but the average person is likely unequipped to handle this type of sensitive situation. Keep reading to learn how you can support a loved one as they recover from sextortion.
Provide Love, Not Judgement
If someone you know has fallen victim to sextortion, the last thing they want or need is to be criticized or scolded. While it’s natural to feel anger, especially as a guardian or caregiver, you need to maintain a calm and supportive demeanor.
Studies have shown a positive correlation between parental support and a child’s resilience after experiencing sexual abuse. While this focuses specifically on the parental role in minor sextortion cases, it demonstrates the positive effects that a compassionate support system has on the victim’s ability to recover.
Address Your Own Emotions
The toll of sextortion extends further than the victim. Their support system is also faced with a flurry of intense emotions. This is completely natural, and these feelings also need to be addressed.
Studies indicate that the support system around the victim experiences many of the same extreme emotions as the victim. There is also evidence to support that those who are close to the victim are better equipped to aid their recovery if they themselves receive emotional support.
Educate Yourself
This is important for both your ability to help your loved one recover and also to keep yourself and your close circle safe moving forward. You simply cannot properly support someone who is dealing with something you don’t understand.
There are numerous outlets that provide free educational material. Many of the support outlets listed above provide informational articles and videos covering sextortion. At Digital Forensics Corp., we have a library of blog posts as well as our YouTube channel that can help you gain a better understanding of sextortion and other cybercrimes.
