Enhancing Police Responses to Teen Sextortion Incidents – A Trauma Informed Approach

CAVEAT: After retiring from law enforcement, Darren now works with police departments in Canada and the United States providing professional development training on digital literacy, internet safety, and online investigations. This article is motivated by our work with 295 youth and their families who experienced sextortion. Based on their feedback and experiences with police, the goal of this article is to provide a “lessons learned” protocol for first responders when investigating teen sextortion incidents. 

In the ever-changing world of law enforcement, handling digital threats like teen sextortion requires a sensitive and understanding approach, especially with teenagers and their families. This article underscores the importance of incorporating a trauma-informed approach into how officers respond to the rising volume of calls for assistance nationwide from families grappling with sextortion incidents.

Although police departments, victim service agencies, and digital literacy and internet safety advocates like us promote seeking help from the police in sextortion cases, there appears to be a noticeable disparity between the intended message and the actual response from “some” in law enforcement.

Based on our work in helping hundreds of families who have fallen prey to sextortion, a recurring theme emerges - numerous teens and families convey to us  feelings of distress when reporting sextortion incidents to police, sharing encounters where officers say things like, "there's nothing we can do; it's the internet – just tell your child to block and delete the person," or "you shouldn't have sent a naked picture." This incongruity between public encouragement to report, and actual helpful responses by police representatives (civilian or uniform members) leaves teens and parents bewildered and frustrated.

When a teen becomes the target of sextortion, it is crucial for law enforcement to recognize the profound emotional and psychological impact it has on the youth. The distress experienced by these teenagers can lead to a mental health crisis, with potentially devastating outcomes, including self-harm and suicide. A dismissive response from a police representative may exacerbate the situation, fostering a sense of further hopelessness among teens who have been targeted.

We Acknowledge the challenges in investigating sextortion cases, which is beyond the scope of this article, particularly when perpetrators are located in countries beyond immediate jurisdiction. However, law enforcement must not overlook the human element involved in these types of calls for service. While constraints may exist in the criminal investigative process, steps can still be taken to address the emotional and psychological trauma experienced by the youth and their families.

Our Recommended Trauma Informed Strategies for Police First Responders:

In-Person Engagement:

Rather than addressing youth sextortion complaints through phone conversations or requiring the teenager to visit the police department to provide a statement, making the effort to personally visit their home first sends a strong message. This approach conveys that law enforcement is genuinely concerned about the well-being of the teenager and their family, ultimately facilitating a more comfortable environment for them to disclose important evidentiary information.

Express Empathy and Willingness to Help:

Convey to the family that your intent is to listen and offer assistance to the best of your capabilities. Refrain from placing blame on the teenager for the situation and reassure them that all possible measures will be taken to identify the perpetrator and ensure they are held accountable for their actions, if possible to do so.

Acknowledge Embarrassment: 

Acknowledge the potential embarrassment that teens may experience when revealing such incidents to a police officer, particularly in the presence of their parents. Investing time in "breaking the ice" and establishing rapport to foster a supportive atmosphere can ease the disclosure process, making it more manageable and less stressful for both the teenager and their parents.

Clarify Investigative Limitations:

 After the disclosure, openly explain what can and cannot be done from an investigative standpoint. If the criminal is in a country outside of Canada or the US, reassure the child and their family that steps can still be taken to help reduce the risks of the intimate image from becoming public.

Acknowledge That Pictures Are Rarely Forwarded To Others:

Share with the teen that many investigators specializing in this type of crime have found that the intimate images sent are seldom, if ever, shared with a broader audience, despite the criminal's threats to do so. In the 295 cases that we have assisted families with, we haven’t had one case where the image was sent to a wider audience, not one. This revelation alone frequently diminishes a teen's crisis level from "red alert" to "yellow alert." However, it is also important to share that you can’t guarantee that the image will not be shared.

Police officers can also assist families in implementing supplementary strategies to effectively manage sextortion incidents beyond the scope of a criminal investigation such as:

• Advise against paying any ransom, as it may label the teen as a target for further exploitation.

• Emphasize the importance of immediately stopping all communication with the perpetrator. Trying to negotiate will only make the situation worse.

• Encourage the family to capture screen shots of all communications as evidence that you will pick up at a later date.

• Facilitate connections with organizations such as the Canadian Center for Child Protection or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the USA for further assistance.

• Provide guidance on deactivating accounts, setting up Google Alerts, and avoiding scams from companies claiming to prevent image distribution for a fee.

For a more in-depth after-action protocol for teens and parents, check out our chapter on sextortion in our free web book - mentioned below.

The need for trauma-informed strategies in law enforcement, particularly concerning sextortion cases involving teens, cannot be overstated. Drawing upon our extensive experience working with 295 youth and their families who fell victim to sextortion, it is evident that the incongruity between public encouragement to report, and the reality of police responses can often leave families bewildered and frustrated. 

Law enforcement must adapt to the evolving landscape of digital threats with a compassionate approach, recognizing the profound emotional and psychological impact on teen survivors of this crime. The recommended trauma-informed strategies provided, including in-person engagement, expressing empathy, acknowledging embarrassment, and clarifying investigative limitations, serve as a crucial framework and starting point for officers dealing with these sensitive cases. 

Beyond the criminal investigation, law enforcement's role must also extend to providing trauma-informed support to the human element of this crime, guiding families through effective strategies to navigate the aftermath of sextortion incidents once police leave the home. By prioritizing understanding, communication, and proactive engagement, police officers can play a pivotal role in safeguarding the emotional and psychological well-being of vulnerable teens in today’s onlife world specific to this crime.

Digital Food For Thought

The White Hatter:

SEXTORTION RESOURCES:

Video on the who, what, where, when, how, and why of sextortion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhzNh67luqI

Chapter from our online safety web book on the topic of sextortion https://thewhitehatter.ca/sextortion/

Social media site contacts and law enforcement only portals to serve Production Orders  https://cyberbullying.org/report

How to initiate a take down on an Intimate image posted online https://ln5.sync.com/dl/d501b6eb0#jb2gyj5r-9p8yyu4d-vkd5j56s-n7bvc5ky

Project Arachnid (Canadian Center For Child Protection) https://www.projectarachnid.ca/en/

US National Center For Missing And Exploited Children “Project Take It Down” https://takeitdown.ncmec.org

Words Matter When It Comes To Youth and Their Distribution Of An Intimate Image https://thewhitehatter.ca/blog/words-matter-when-it-comes-to-youth-and-their-distribution-of-an-intimate-image/

Canadian Duty to Report CSAM By Internet Providers https://thewhitehatter.ca/duty-to-report-csam-law-canada-online-services/