Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Sexually coerced extortion, sometimes called sextortion, is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share nudes, sexual videos, or messages unless you do what they say. They might tell you to give them money or gift cards, share more sexual content, or to do something you don’t want to. It often involves coercion, manipulation, or deception. It is a serious crime that can have a big impact on anyone affected by it.

It’s important to remember that you are not to blame for what was done to you. You can still report what happened, even though it was almost two years ago. There are lots of ways to report and get support with what’s happened.

You can make an online report any time to CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection), they’re a law enforcement agency who help keep young people safe from sexual abuse and grooming online. After making a report, one of their Child Protection Advisors will look over what you’ve said and contact you by phone or email to offer support and talk about what will happen next.

The police, CEOP, and other organisations understand that someone can need time before they feel ready to speak about their experiences. Even after two years, you can share any screenshots or any other evidence to support your report.

If you don’t feel ready to make a report to CEOP, you can still get support. Report Remove can help to take down nudes or sexual videos of you posted online, and you can speak to Childline about anything that’s happened. It can also help to post on the message boards, to share experiences with young people who’ve gone through the same thing.

Take care,

Sam