NRK recently said police are experiencing a large increase in inquiries from desperate girls and women who have experienced their names being posted on online nude photo forums.
– It has been especially in the last few days that we have received a lot of inquiries about it, Anita Kjønnøy, head of the online patrol in the Trøndelag police district, told NRK.
Now the police are also warning that several boys and men have recently been sexually blackmailed.
This happened after he was tricked into sending nude photos or masturbating on webcam to what appear to be girls of the same age.
– This applies to the whole country, says Kjønnøy.
Organized criminals
Police have recently received several requests from people from Trondheim between the ages of 14 and 35. There are said to be over ten surveys in which men are said to have been pressured for money after being induced into sexual activity on a webcam.
It appeared as requests from young women, but in reality it was from organized crime, police say.
At the end of the conversation, men and boys have received requests for money, threatening that the video will be shared with the entire list of friends if they do not pay.
– We fear there are a large number of blackouts and we find it shameful and difficult to talk about for those exposed to this, says senior police officer and specialist from Nettpatruljen in Trøndelag, Anita Kjønnøy.
Anita Kjønnøy is the supervisor of the online patrol in the Trøndelag Police District. She warns boys and men not to share sexual material of themselves with strangers.
Photo: Frida J. Krüger / NRK
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Kripos: increase in several countries
Kripos is also concerned about the rise in sexual extortion. In a Press release they write that 14-year-olds are being pressured for money by what appear to be organized crime groups.
Both Kripos and police authorities in other countries have recently seen an increase in cases where boys are pressured for money after sharing photos of their penis or masturbating on a webcam.
– The kids are immediately exposed to a demand for money, threatened with the photos being shared publicly if they don’t pay. The offender is often persistent by sending a lot of messages, likely to further stress the victim, says police officer Thale Parker in the internet-related abuse section in Kripos.
Calls for caution
The police urge boys and men to be very careful when chatting and making video calls with people they don’t know or haven’t met.
Blackmail often begins with an invitation to men to chat privately.
– These are organized criminals who seem very credible, until the video call is over and the request for money arrives. As we discover new cases in Trøndelag every day, we want to warn him. Don’t be fooled, says Anita Kjønnøy.
They encourage anyone who has been exposed to this to talk to someone they trust. While it may be shameful, it’s important not to be alone with the experiences, the police wrote in a press release.
– The police take it seriously, because it violates the bodies and sexuality of children and young people and can affect mental health. The police can put victims in contact with the emergency services and investigate cases, including in cooperation with the police of other countries, says Anita Kjønnøy.
The police with more advice
The police have a number of tips to avoid becoming a victim of sexual blackmail:
- Have a conscious relationship with what you share
- Consider hiding your friends list on social media
- A closed profile makes it more difficult for criminals
- Be careful if someone you don’t know gets in direct contact or wants a private chat
This is the advice to the police in case of sexual blackmail:
- Break contact with the person
- Avoid paying: there will be new requests
- Talk to someone and get help
- Report the matter to the police
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