This is evident from research conducted by the NSCR, made possible by funding from Fonds Slachtofferhulp. The aim of the study was to provide insight into the nature and prevalence of sextortion and victims’ help-seeking trajectories. To this end, researcher Valérie Pijlman distributed questionnaires to participants in the LISS panel, a representative survey panel of more than 6,000 Dutch residents aged 16 and older.
Prevalence and the Process of Seeking Help
Of all respondents (4,862), 6% had experienced one or more forms of image-based sexual abuse involving visual material, including sextortion. Among the sample, 3.6% had ever experienced sextortion.
The process of seeking help appears to be highly individualized, but a recurring pattern is the “warm referral.” In this scenario, a victim first discusses the experience with friends, a partner, or family and then seeks help from one (or more) professional(s). As one victim (female, 40 years old) described: “I shared my experiences in detail. At first, only my father believed me; later, my mother, my family doctor, the police, the justice system, and child welfare services followed.”
It is noteworthy that only a small proportion of the victims sought help. Nor did this always lead to receiving help: of the victims who sought help, a small majority reported having actually received help.
What is sextortion, and what are its consequences?
Sextortion is a form of image-based sexual abuse in which someone is threatened with the distribution of intimate images to coerce that person into doing something. This may involve sending money, sending (more) intimate images, physical sexual acts, or maintaining a romatic relationship.
The consequences of sextortion can be long-lasting. Sextortion can negatively impact mental health and lead to psychological symptoms, such as depression and/or anxiety disorders, PTSD, and suicidal ideation. Sextortion can also lead to fear, stress, and feelings of shame and guilt. These feelings can negatively affect daily functioning and social relationships.
Facilitators and Barriers to Seeking Help
Motivations for seeking help include the desire to have the shared images removed, the need for social support, and the desire to feel better.
Shame plays a major role in the decision not to seek help. This is often accompanied by fear of negative reactions from one’s social environment and feelings of self-blame. One victim (female, 28 years old) described it as such: “I was ashamed of taking and sharing the photo; I didn’t dare tell my friends, family, or others. […] I have a good relationship with my family and friends and can always count on their support, but I didn’t dare share this.”
Furthermore, victims indicated that they did not want to think about the incident anymore. Minimizing both the incident and its impact also played a role: they did not consider the incident or its consequences serious enough to seek help.
Recommendations
Pijlman concludes: “This study underscores the importance of increasing knowledge about sextortion, its impact on victims, the importance of support services, and the support options available in society. This can help increase the likelihood of receiving effective informal support and warm referrals.”
Read more
Go to the factsheet (Dutch only)
Go to the summary ‘Sextortion: het hulpzoektraject van slachtoffers en de reacties van omstanders’ (Dutch only)
