Overall, between 2018 and 2025, the EPS received 983 sextortion-related reports involving youth victims. In all of 2025, the EPS receive 168 occurrences.
“Kids are online more than ever, and predators know it,” says Acting Inspector Paul Looker from the EPS Community and Youth Response Branch. “Sextortion has moved from being a rare online scam to something our School Resource Officers encounter regularly.”
Sextortion occurs when an offender coerces a victim into sending sexually explicit images or videos, then threatens to release the content publicly or share it with family and friends unless money, gift cards, or more images are provided. Even after a victim complies, offenders will often escalate their demands.
“We’re seeing students as young as 13 being targeted. These crimes are emotionally devastating, and they thrive in secrecy. We want youth and parents to know how to spot the warning signs and how to get help immediately,” explains A/Insp. Looker.
EPS analysis shows:
- Most victims are between 13 and 16 years old, with 15 being the most common age.
- 68% of victims are female, 31% are male, and 1% are unspecified.
- Male youths as victims are on an upward trend, increasing each year.
- Offenders are predominantly male (84%), with some as young as 16.
- Adults account for 55% of offenders in reported cases, while 35% are youth under 18.
Police are encouraging parents and caregivers to talk with their kids early, ideally before the high-risk ages of 13 to 16, about online safety and how to respond if someone asks for sexual images.
EPS works routinely with the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) on files involving sextortion. In an effort to educate and prevent future cases of online exploitation, ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit established a community engagement team in 2024.
This team travels across the province, providing education to help children, teens and parents learn about real-life examples of the dangers found online.
“Conversations around internet safety don’t have to be confusing. We tell parents that the same lessons you share with your children about how to be safe on the playground, or at the mall, apply online,” said Const. Stephanie Bosch from ALERT ICE. “We teach our kids to not give out private information to strangers or to get into vehicles with people they don’t know – these lessons translate to online safety when we talk about locking down profiles, turning off location services, or the dangers of moving from an open platform to a secured app.”
Warning signs to watch for:
These could be red flags, not proof that something is wrong.
- Suddenly becomes more secretive about their phone or screen time
- Withdraws from friends or activities
- Has unexplained anxiety or mood swings
- A sudden drop in school performance
- Logs out quickly, hides apps, or seems guarded about online interactions.
- Heightened anxiety, or unexplained urgency to meet someone.
“The sooner a student can talk to a trusted adult or their School Resource Officer, the sooner we can intervene and prevent more harm from happening,” says A/Insp. Looker.
- Regularly talk to your child about their online activities — not just once.
- Build trust so your child feels safe coming to you if something goes wrong.
- Take interest and learn about the apps, games and platforms your child uses.
- Ask questions about their online friends and what’s happening in their digital world.
“There is no such thing as a bad app, just the bad behavior that can occur on any app. By teaching youth about the behaviours to be on the lookout for, we help instill confidence, which will help them recognize when harm may happen,” Const. Bosch added.
EPS School Resource Officers (SRO) and community partners will be increasing education efforts in schools and online to help prevent sextortion.
“Every student should feel a sense of belonging and safety within their school community,” said Ron Thompson, Superintendent of Edmonton Public Schools. “Together with our community partners and the Edmonton Police Service, we want students and families to know that support is available and no student has to face these challenges alone.”
Anyone who believes they or someone they know is being victimized should contact police at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.