Sextortion, the act of soliciting money from an individual by threatening to release private photos, sometimes AI altered, has directly impacted young people in our country at an unprecedented rate. This criminal act has led to a direct increase in both suicidal ideation and suicide in young victims that often see no other options.
Ohio County Schools has been working diligently on an education campaign focused on digital safety in elementary students and honest conversations about sextortion for middle and high school students. Current research from The Center for Missing and Exploited Youth indicates that one group of children commonly targeted are well-known, high school aged athletes.
On March 11th at 9 A.M., Wheeling Park High School is offering the opportunity for both male and female athletes to learn about this criminal act directly from the professionals who deal both with the preventative measures of educating young people, but also with the criminal aftermath.
Split by gender, male athletes will hear from Bradley Mason of the West Virginia State Police. He currently works in the Crimes Against Children Unit. Our female athletes will hear from Katie Banal of Harmony House. She is the Community Education Coordinator.
The presentations will address internet safety for high-school aged children including the definition of sextortion, warning signs of sextortion, refusal skills for responding to predators, how to report sextortion concerns, and current events/trends/stats regarding sextortion.
“We are focusing on providing commonly targeted groups with specific skills and solutions in the event they experience these scenarios,” explains Dr. Nicole Shepherd, OCS Behavioral Specialist, “we want our students to know they are not alone, and have a pathway to help in the event they need it,” she adds.
Topics like this as well as several other similar sessions will be available on a larger scale to interested community members, parents, and students of all ages and school districts at the upcoming Ohio County Schools Mental Health Fair, scheduled for 4/23 from 5-7 at West Virginia Northern Community College. More information to follow.
