The number of minors who fall victim
to sexual blackmail in Italy is rising, according to a police
report issued Friday.
They said they had received over 100 reports of sextortion of
children and teenagers under the age of 18 over the last few
months.
The majority of victims were aged 15-17, but some were much
younger, police said.
"The number of cases is surging," said the report.
The natural sexual curiosity of youths is being exploited to put
them at risk of a "nightmare scenario of blackmail, insistent
demands for money, and threats to destroy their reputations by
spreading sexual images obtained in live chats across the Web",
said the report.
The cases typically begin with smiling and attractive young
people contacting youngsters and asking them to share pictures
over social media, before the demands become "predatory and
hostile", police said.
Police also highlighted the risk of higher rates of suicide
among youngsters who have been targeted like this.
The phenomenon is "vastly under-reported", police said, because
kids are unlikely to confide in their parents about such
matters.
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