Sexual predators rely on various manipulative and coercive tactics to trap and sexually violate their victims through online and digital platforms (McGratth and Casey, 2002; Joleby et. al., 2021). As such, identifying some consistent warning signs can help prevent and minimize one's exposure to online sexual violence and keep one's digital safety intact.
Warning Signs
1. Immediately asking someone questions about their virginity (from a stranger or an acquaintance)
2. Their constant use of sexual jokes (that are not wanted or considered funny by the receiving party)
3. Consistently asking a person if they've ever sold full or partially nude photos or videos of themselves
4. Frequently sending unsolicited pornographic videos and audio to another person
5. Pressuring and threatening their victim to send them sexually suggestive photos, videos and messages
6. Asking their victim if they’d like to meet in-person for sex (without having a mutually interested discussion about having sex together, boundaries, where to meet etc. )
7. Asking about their victim’s preferred kinks and preferred sexual positions (in a manner that is not wanted or welcomed by the other person)
8. Offering to “help“ their victim start a career in sex work by being their manager and taking a percentage of the profit*
If the recipient is not a professional sex worker and has no interest in being one, this can be read as a potential warning sign.
What should you do if you spot these signs?
- Reach out to a trusted family member or friend to share your experience so you don't feel alone and to get support.
- Consult a registered mental health practitioner to discuss how the interactions made you feel and get further support on navigating reporting and blocking the person.
- Report the person’s social media account through the platform's contact us/reporting page. (See the additional resources below for safety support guidelines)
- If you feel that you are in danger or that the behaviour may escalate to physical harm, take Screenshots and video recordings of the exchange and report it:
- at your workplace
- at your school campus (sexual violence prevention Center or to a trusted teacher)
- to a mental health practitioner
- to a trusted department or leader at your religious institution
References
Joleby, M., Lunde, C., Landström, S., & Jonsson, L. S. (2021). Offender strategies for engaging children in online sexual activity. Child Abuse & Neglect, 120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105214
McGrath, M. G., & Casey, E. (2002). Forensic psychiatry and the internet: practical perspectives on sexual predators and obsessional harassers in cyberspace. The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 30(1), 81–94. https://serval.unil.ch/resource/serval:BIB_11C3608FB79C.P001/REF.pdf
Additional Resources
Right to Be. Facebook Safety Guide. https://righttobe.org/guides/facebook-safety-guide/#:~:text=If%20you%20are%20being%20harassed,appears%20near%20the%20content%20itself.
Right to Be. Twitter Safety Guide. https://righttobe.org/guides/twitter-safety-guide/
TikTok. (December 11, 2024). Sexual Abuse Support. https://www.tiktok.com/safety/en-gb/sexual-assault-resources
X (formerly known as Twitter). Report Abusive Behaviour. https://help.x.com/en/safety-and-security/report-abusive-behavior
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