Supporting young people

If a young person is experiencing sextortion, the support of a trusted adult can make a real difference.

Sexual extortion or ‘sextortion’ is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share a nude or sexual image or video of you unless you give in to their demands.

This person may feel scared, ashamed or overwhelmed, and might not know where to turn. Staying calm, listening without judgement and helping them take the next step can matter more than having all the answers.

Whether you’re a parent, carer, educator or professional, support is available.

On this page:

Helping someone you know
Working with young people
Download the kit

Helping someone you know

If someone tells you they are being threatened or blackmailed, your response matters.

Stay calm, reassure them it is not their fault, and let them know help is available.

You can also help them report sextortion, or report on their behalf if they’ve given you permission. You can find more information about how to report on our page Dealing with sexual extortion.

If the young person is under 18, the best way to get help is to report it to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).

If they’re 18 years or older, they can report it to any platforms or services where the blackmailer contacted them. If their intimate image or video is shared, they can report it to eSafety.

For in-depth practical advice on how to support someone experiencing image-based abuse, visit How to help someone deal with image-based abuse

Working with young people

If you work with young people, you may be one of the first trusted adults they turn to when something feels wrong. You can play an important role in helping them recognise sextortion, respond calmly and connect with support.

To help start conversations and raise awareness, we’ve created a sextortion awareness kit featuring resources from the campaign, 'If sextortionists were honest'.

The kit includes: