Clare gardaí issue warning to public as they investigate 'sextortion' blackmail case

Gardaí in Clare have issued a 'sextortion' warning for the public as they investigate a case of blackmail.

The injured party in this case was involved in an online relationship and forwarded pictures of a personal nature to their partner during the course of their relationship. 

Shortly afterwards, the perpetrator demanded money, threatening to post the personal photographs on the injured party’s Instagram account for all of their friends and family to see, a fom of 'sextortion'.

Sextortion is a form of cyber extortion which involves a threat or blackmail of having intimate information, images or clips shared without consent.

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The threat or blackmail may be to get the victim to do or refrain from doing something, or the threat or blackmail may be purely for money or financial gain.

Sextortion can occur in a number of ways - during a relationship or where a relationship has broken down – either partner can be the victim

It can occur during online activity; sharing intimate images with another online partner, either strangers or people known to you or sharing of images on messaging apps.

In the case of juveniles involved in the sharing of intimate images, in addition to being open to potential sextortion and online bullying, the sharing of any intimate image of a juvenile is Child Sexual Abuse Material.

Activity such as this contravenes the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, more commonly known as ‘Coco’s Law’, which was enacted on in February 2021.

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