A significant increase in intimate image-related blackmail, known as sextortion, is prompting a warning from Winnipeg police for parents to monitor their kids’ social media and messaging platforms.
“Sextortion is a form of online sexual exploitation in which a perpetrator obtains intimate images of a victim through deception, coercion, or a prior relationship and then uses those images, or the threat of sharing them, to demand money, gift cards, additional images or coercive compliance,” said Const. Stephen Spencer with the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) during a news conference on Wednesday.
“If you are being extorted, (or) believe you might be being extorted with a sextortion case, do not pay,” said Spencer, urging victims to contact the police or Crime Stoppers.
Spencer described the reported spike in sextortion cases as “a growing area of concern.” In 2025, there were more than 11 times as many extortion cases reported to the WPS compared to 2020. Spencer said cases are categorized as extortion, but those numbers are largely intimate image-related.
“I can tell you these numbers are quite concerning,” said Spencer.
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In 2020, the police received 19 reports of extortion; by 2023 this figure rose to 165, before peaking two years later with 223 cases reported.
Eighty per cent of the victims who reported being extorted to police were women, but when filtered to victims aged under 18, the police said 87 per cent of these reports came from boys.
“One of the big concerns, obviously, is that children right now are being heavily targeted on social media,” Spencer told reporters.
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Parents should also be mindful of the potential consequences if their underaged children or teens are sharing nude images, police said.
“(The intimate images are) considered child sexual abuse and exploitation material under Canadian law, and even if those images were shared with consent, and even if both parties are under the age of 18,” explained Spencer.
Online luring of youth was said to occur via online platforms, including Snapchat, Discord, and Instagram.
“Device owners and accountholders — this means parents — can also face criminal charges if their device is used to share these images, even if it’s by their children,” Spencer added.
April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month across Canada. Winnipeg police said additional information, tips, and a four-part video series on sextortion will be shared over the course of this month.
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