Tell your friends that they can trust you.
You can even help your friends before they need it, and right now is one of those times. Sextortion is uncomfortable, and people going through it are usually pretty scared to tell their friends. Your friends need to know that you’ll be there for them, even if something like sextortion happens. Tell them now — when everything is fine — and as often as possible.
Don’t forward pics.
This one is really simple – if somebody sends you a sexual image of somebody else, DO NOT share it. It’s not up to you to decide who should see their body, so don’t forward the image to anyone.
PROTIP: You might be considered legally responsible if you forward these images.
Understand the issue.
Learning about how sextortion happens and what to do to protect yourself is an important step in preventing it from happening in the first place.
Share the cat video.
Did this video make you laugh, but also teach you about something serious? Share it with all of your friends so they can be as informed as you are about what sextortion is and how it happens.
IMPORTANT! When you share it, let your friends know that you’ll be there for them no matter what.
#noshame #stopsextortion
Change passwords often.
If someone knows your passwords, change them immediately to maintain your privacy. Tools like lastpass can help keep your privacy, private.
Celebrate your friends.
Lift others up. Sextortion can lead to bullying and make people feel really alone. Instead, make your friends feel great by telling them what you think makes them unique and why you love that specific thing. You can also join a community of people fighting online harassment at HeartMob and send supportive messages to victims of sextortion and other types of harassment. On the flip side, if you know somebody experiencing sextortion, they can join Heartmob and receive support.
