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Sextortion: A Scoping Review.

Sextortion refers to making threats to share nude or sexual images to coerce the victim into complying with certain demands, such as paying a ransom, sharing intimate images, or engaging in unwanted acts. Sextortion occurs in a diverse range of contexts, including intimate partner abuse, cyberbullyi...

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Published in:Trauma, Violence & Abuse Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 138 - 156
Main Authors: Ray, Alana, Henry, Nicola
Format: research systematic review tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Sage Publications Inc. Jan2025
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Jan2025
      vid: 26
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      pub: Sage Publications Inc.
      place: Thousand Oaks, California
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      formats:
      tig:
        atl: Sextortion: A Scoping Review.
      aug:
        au:
          Ray, Alana
          Henry, Nicola
        affil: RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
      sug:
        subj:
          Sexual Abuse Psychosocial Factors
          Crime Victims Psychosocial Factors
          Cyberbullying
          Sexuality
          Human
          Funding Source
          Male
          Female
          Scoping Review
          Psycinfo
          Male
          Female
      ab: Sextortion refers to making threats to share nude or sexual images to coerce the victim into complying with certain demands, such as paying a ransom, sharing intimate images, or engaging in unwanted acts. Sextortion occurs in a diverse range of contexts, including intimate partner abuse, cyberbullying, sexuality or sex worker "outing," online dating, "cybersex," sex trafficking, online sexual exploitation of children, computer hacking, and organized crime. Despite the heightened media focus, few studies have measured the prevalence, nature, and impacts of sextortion. We conducted a scoping review with the aim of providing a comprehensive overview of existing empirical research on sextortion victimization and perpetration among youth and adults. In total, 24 studies were identified based on predefined eligibility criteria. We found that studies focusing on youth reported prevalence ranging from 0.7% to 5.0%, while studies involving adults ranged from 4.0% to 18.7%. The review found that young people and sexual minorities are more likely to experience victimization, while men, young people, and sexual minorities are more likely to self-report engaging in sextortion offending. The review found that perpetrators are more likely to be intimate partners or other known persons as opposed to strangers and that there was an overlap between sextortion perpetration and victimization. Finally, we also found that sextortion can result in significant harms, and that reporting and help-seeking remain very low due to shame, fear, and negative perceptions of police and digital platforms. The findings highlight existing gaps and provide recommendations for future research, policy, and practice.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        systematic review
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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