(LEX 18) — Kentucky has officially made sextortion a felony with the passage of Senate Bill 73, which officially took effect on Friday.
The Human Trafficking Task Force celebrated the new law as a significant step forward in protecting vulnerable individuals.
"It's just a fantastic day for Kentuckians, especially all folks that are vulnerable to exploitation, particularly our young people," said Jaime Thompson from the People Against Trafficking Humans Coalition of Kentucky.
Sextortion, described as one of the fastest-growing crimes, occurs when a perpetrator obtains a sexually explicit photo and threatens to release it unless the victim meets certain demands, which could be monetary, sexual, or other forms of blackmail.
The explicit images may be obtained in various ways: willingly shared by the victim, created using artificial intelligence, or taken without the person's knowledge.
According to experts, perpetrators often target young boys through catfishing schemes, making them believe they're communicating with a girl.
"They're very skilled. They're tactics and strategies are very complex and they know what they're doing, and they're going to look for a vulnerable person," Thompson said.
Law enforcement officials note that sometimes even minors engage in sextortion without fully understanding the severity of their actions.
"It could even be a consensual photograph to a boyfriend. But the kids don't date anymore and now the picture is being threatened to be airdropped to an entire cafeteria with other students unless more pictures are sent," said Ricky Lynn from Frankfort Police SVU.
The law has tougher penalties for those who have a prior sexual offense conviction, the perpetrator is in a position of authority, a deadly weapon is used or if the victim is a minor who suffers serious injury or attempts to end their life. It also establishes civil remedies, empowering victims and their families to seek damages.
To enhance prevention and awareness, the law also requires schools to educate students and parents about the dangers of sextortion.
To report sextortion, victims are encouraged to contact their local police or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
