(Beaver Dam) A local nonprofit is raising awareness about the dangers of sextortion. 5-Stones Dodge County has focused on educating the public about sex trafficking for the past 12 years. As digital threats have evolved, the organizations founder Tracy Scheffler says sextortion is on the rise. Sextortion occurs when predators trick victims, often teens, into sharing explicit images or videos and then using that content to blackmail them for money or more explicit material.
According to Scheffler, online enticement reports have more than tripled in recent years with predators increasingly targeting youth through social media platforms. Scheffler implores parents to realize with the technological boom, places like Beaver Dam are as susceptible to these crimes as anywhere else in the country.
“Sextortion is even more likely to be happening everywhere because it’s happening online you don’t even need your community, you don’t even need to wonder what your personality of your community is like or how big your city is or how small, or how rural, or how Urban. If you are online, then sextortion is occurring”, says Scheffler.
To help raise awareness, 5-Stones is hosting a community event on March 12th at the Beaver Dam High School from 6:30pm to 8pm. It is called “Suicide by Sextortion—A Father’s Story” will feature John DeMay, who will share the tragic story of his son’s suicide after falling victim to sextortion. The event will also include a panel discussion with Beaver Dam Police Chief John Kreuziger.
Click HERE to learn more information about the event or how to combat sextortion.
