VSA. – Seksuele afpersing (sextortion), is besig om wêreldwyd én plaaslik vinnig toe te neem.
Bryce Tate (15) van Charleston, West Virginia, het op 6 November aan sy eie hand gesterf. Volgens sy ouers, Amanda en Adam Tate, was daar was geen vooraf gedrag wat aangedui het dat hulle seun beplan het om sy eie lewe te neem nie. Hulle het selfs oor boeliegedrag by die skool probeer uitvis.
Maar dit was die polisie wat sy foon geneem het, wat die ouers ingelig het dat hulle tienerseun die slagoffer van seksuele afpersing was. ‘n Persoon wat haar- of homself as ‘n “17-jarige plaaslike meisie” voorgedoen het, het aanlyn met hom vriende geword, foto’s gestuur, foto’s gevra en so het die afpersing begin. Van die begin van die gesprek het dit minder as drie uur tot Bryce se dood geneem.
Volgens die FBI, wat die voorval ondersoek, was Bryce die slagoffer van seksuele afpersing en sy ouers die sekondêre slagoffers. Intussen staan sy ouers onderhoude toe om te midde van hulle eie hartseer ander oor seksuele afpersing te waarsku. Lees die plasing van Adam Tate op sosiale media onderaan die berig.
In nog ‘n voorval het Jordan John DeMay (17) van Marquette, Michigan op 25 Maart 2022 aan sy eie hand gesterf. Die FBI behartig ook die ondersoek. DeMay was ook ‘n slagoffer wat aan ‘n “tienermeisie” foto’s gestuur en afgepers was. Nigeriërs sowel as Amerikaners was by die misdaad betrokke, wat meer as 100 tieners geteiken het. Druk hier en hier om meer te lees.
Kenners waarsku dat slagoffers, veral kinders en tieners, afgepers word met eksplisiete foto’s gebruik in ruil vir geld, of vir verdere seksuele inhoud of ander vorme van beheer.
Volgens kuberveiligheidsorganisasies is seksuele afpersing ’n vorm van uitbuiting waar iemand gedwing word om aan ‘n eis te voldoen nadat afpersers privaat foto’s of video’s van die persoon bekom het. Hierdie inhoud word dikwels verkry deur sosiale media, vriendskapsversoeke van vals rekeninge, aanlyn speletjies, of selfs deur die kaping van persoonlike rekeninge. Dit begin dikwels onskuldig; ’n vriendelike boodskap, ’n versoek om kontak te maak op ’n privaat platform, of ’n “romantiese” gesprek. Wanneer vertroue opgebou is, versoek die oortreder seksuele foto’s of materiaal. Binne minute nadat dit ontvang is, word daar gedreig om die foto’s of ander materiaal aan familie, vriende of op sosiale media te versprei, tensy geld betaal word.
Volgens kindersorgorganisasies in Suid-Afrika is veral tienerseuns ’n teiken. Oortreders dring soms op aanlyn platforms aan op vinnige betaling, wat die slagoffer paniekerig en skaam laat en die kans verminder dat hulle dadelik hulp soek. Dit het ernstige gevolge: slagoffers ervaar dikwels skaamte, paniek, depressie, voel vasgevang en alleen, is bang om in die moeilikheid te kom en ervaar selfs selfmoordneigings. Families word baiekeer eers ná ’n krisis bewus van die situasie. Sielkundiges waarsku dat seksuele afpersing emosionele trauma kan veroorsaak wat lank ná die voorval voortduur.
Wat moet jy doen wanneer jy ‘n teiken is? Kenners beveel die volgende stappe aan;
- Moenie betaal nie. Betaling stop nie die afperser nie; dit lei gewoonlik tot meer eise.
- Staak alle kontak onmiddellik. Moenie verder kommunikeer nie.
- Versamel bewysmateriaal. Neem skermgrepe van boodskappe, profiele en transaksieversoeke. Meld dit by die polisie aan. In Suid-Afrika val hierdie misdrywe onder die Wet op Seksuele Misdrywe en die Wet op Kubermisdrywe.
- Meld die rekening of platform aan. Sosiale media en ander platforms verwyder gewoonlik vinnig vals profiele.
- Soek professionele ondersteuning. Veral kinders en tieners moet emosionele hulp kry.
Ouers kan hulle kinders só help:
- Praat van jongs af en gereeld met kinders oor aanlyn risiko’s.
- Hou kinders se sosialemedia-profiele privaat en beperk wie boodskappe kan stuur.
- Waarsku oor die deel van intieme beelde, selfs nie met iemand wat jy vertrou nie.
- Wees skepties oor onbekendes wat vinnig vertroue wil wen.
- Monitor jong kinders se aanlynaktiwiteit en toegang tot toestelle.
Seksuele afpersing bly ‘n groeiende bedreiging. Kuberveiligheidsdeskundiges waarsku dat georganiseerde groepe wêreldwyd by seksuele afpersing betrokke is en dat die misdaad helaas vinniger groei as wat wetstoepassing kan byhou. Tog is daar reeds groot vordering in Suid-Afrika met digitale opsporing en polisie-eenhede wat toenemend internasionale netwerke opspoor.
Adam Tate se plasing op sosiale media:
Many of you have heard about the tragic and unexpected passing of our son, Bryce Tate, a few weeks ago. In those initial moments, we were utterly devastated and confused. We’ve often heard stories where parents say they saw no signs leading up to such events – and that was true for us as well.
We spent days sifting through memories, trying to make sense of it all. We checked with his friends for any signs of bullying – there were none. He excelled in school, earning all A’s and B’s in honours classes. He had loving parents who devoted their lives to providing him with a stable, nurturing home. He was surrounded by great friends he lifted weights and played basketball with every day. He hadn’t been in a relationship for a long time, so heartbreak wasn’t a factor. Everyone we spoke to – school administrators, students, and community members – described the same hilarious, positive, and amazing young man we knew at home. Every lead we followed ended in a dead end, and nothing seemed to explain this heartbreaking tragedy.
Then, on Tuesday night, we received a phone call asking us to come to the police station the next morning. When the incident occurred, the police had taken Bryce’s phone to investigate and help us piece together what happened. They discovered something that finally gave us answers.
Our son Bryce was a victim of sextortion – a term we’d never heard before, but one that’s becoming a serious and growing threat. Everyone needs to know about it and warn their kids. Bryce was contacted by someone posing as a 17-year-old local girl who claimed to share mutual friends with him. They knew his school and used those details to build trust, making it seem like a genuine connection from nearby. The conversation started innocently, but quickly escalated when the person sent inappropriate photos and requested some in return. Like many 15-year-old boys, Bryce complied.
Once the photos were sent, the extortion began. They demanded $500, threatening to share the images with his school, family, friends, and social media followers if he didn’t pay. They shamed him relentlessly, convincing him that this one mistake had ruined his life forever. These criminals are professionals who prey on innocents all day long, and they’re incredibly persuasive – especially to vulnerable children. Bryce, feeling trapped with no way out and believing his world was destroyed, was manipulated into taking his own life.
This wasn’t something he had planned or would have done otherwise. It wasn’t due to bullying or any other underlying issue. He was the victim of a heinous crime—murdered, in my view, through his phone by a coward exploiting an innocent child.
We’re sharing this update because so many of you have been praying for answers and supporting us through this. We felt it was important to let you know.
The FBI is currently investigating this as it has become a large problem nationwide. Please help spread awareness about the dangers of sextortion to your loved ones, especially children and those who are vulnerable.
We will not stop until you have justice ,Bryce Tate, we love you! #JusticeForBryce
We also want everyone be aware that the first message was at 4PM and the last text was 7:09 P.M.. This was extremely fast, and from what I’ve researched, this is typically how it works. Most outcomes are within 6 hours of the initial interaction.
Bronne: Amanda Tate, Adam Tate, Interpol – Crimes Against Children: Sextortion, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), UNICEF – Online Child Sexual Exploitation Reports, South African Police Service – Cybercrime & Sexual Offences Guidelines, Childline South Africa, Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention (CJCP) – SA Youth Online Risk Studies, Wikipedia, The Guardian
