Rise of 'sextortion' cases affecting children in Wiltshire
Sextortion is a form of blackmail involving intimate pictures
Police say they're worried about criminals using fake dating or social media profiles to target children in Wiltshire.
The force has recorded 153 cases in the year to October - that's 69 more than in the previous 12 months.
In some cases children are being persuaded to send intimate pictures of themselves, and blackmailed, Wiltshire Police have said.
DC Jason Walsh of the Child Internet Exploitation Team said:
"In recent months Wiltshire Police has seen an increase in reports where children have been identified as victims of sextortion.
“This offence can occur across a number of different internet platforms whereby a young person is communicating online with an unknown person who requests they send an indecent image of themselves.
Sextortion is when criminals use fake dating or social media accounts to befriend people online and persuade them to send intimate pictures and videos performing sexual acts.
They then record and save the content, and threaten to share it with friends and family, unless a payment is made.
Both male and females can be victims of sextortion.
Officers are urging parents to stay vigilant - and report any suspicious activity by calling 101.
“Once the young person sends the image the conversation changes to demands for money and threats the image will be posted to their social media feed. When the young person realises what has happened it can cause them significant concern and distress.
“If you've been the victim of sextortion please report it to 101 where it will be dealt with sensitively and the appropriate safeguarding can take place."
DS Anthony King said:
“It's illegal for anyone to have, share or make sexual images or videos of people under 18.
“Legally this includes personal images or videos made by under 18s and shared with each other (sometimes called 'sexting').
“But it's not always in the public interest to prosecute in these cases. We'll decide whether to take action depending on things like evidence of exploitation or grooming.
“If you’ve been a victim of sextortion we’d like you to remember, whatever has happened is not your fault, even though you might have been told it is.
“Children are often made to feel they are at fault, or that no one will believe them, or that something bad will happen to them or their family, but this is a threat to stop them from telling anyone. You are not to blame.”