Thirty-five % of victims reported a moderate to severe effect on their mental health, with 73% of people familiar with victims describing its impact as significant.
“Sextortion is a serious online harm and not a fringe problem,” Netsafe chief executive Brent Carey said.
Brent Carey, chief executive of Netsafe, said sextortion is a “serious online harm and not a fringe problem” in New Zealand. Photo / Dean Purcell
“New Zealanders need to know sextortion is not their fault. These are predators using technology as a weapon, and the only way to fight them is together.”
The findings, which suggest hundreds of thousands of Kiwis have been affected, highlight a “hidden epidemic” with far-reaching impacts on privacy, personal safety and mental health.
“Tragically, overseas cases have shown how sextortion can drive young people to despair, and New Zealand is not immune,” Carey said.
“Our research confirms the same pattern.”
Carey said victims may be tricked or pressured into sharing explicit material, while in other cases, the content may be digitally faked.
Police plan to use the data to strengthen their response to sextortion crimes in New Zealand.
Professional perpetrators often come from organised crime groups and will manipulate their victims into sharing sensitive content that can later be leveraged against them.
“This survey did not include under 18 year olds, and when we look at the reports of harm we receive at Netsafe, we find teenagers are also targeted through sextortion,” Carey said.
About 80% of cases reported by victims involved threats to share explicit content. Half the perpetrators demanded money, while a fifth sought further sexual favours.
About 24% had their content leaked anyway without consent.
Despite the damning figures, most victims avoid seeking help out of shame or a fear of inaction, with less than half of those who alert authorities satisfied with its handling.
Data released by Netsafe in May showed sextortion threats were up a “frightening” 68% in the first three months of this year.
The new research “stresses that reducing harm requires strong community engagement, education, and early prevention”, Carey said.
Police said they recognised the real-world consequences of sextortion, and planned to use the research to further their understanding of its place in New Zealand.
“Police encourage all victims of sextortion to seek help and report these criminal acts,” said Greg Dalziel, Detective Senior Sergeant in the police’s Cybercrime Unit.
Eighty % of survey respondents also supported an awareness campaign to educate the public on how to identify, report, prevent and legally challenge sextortion in their lives.
Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.
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