Sextortion and Teen Suicide: New Research Reveals Alarming 19x Suicide Attempt Risk

Online sextortion is not a rare crime anymore. It is a crisis.

New research from the Cyberbullying Research Center, published in the May 2026 issue of Child Abuse & Neglect, finds that 15.4% of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 have experienced sextortion. That is triple the rate from just five years earlier. Even more alarming: victims were nine times more likely to have seriously considered suicide, nearly twelve times more likely to have made a suicide plan, and more than nineteen times more likely to have attempted suicide compared to teens who had not been targeted.

What sextortion looks like. A teen connects with someone online who seems friendly and fun. The conversation turns flirtatious. The new friend asks for a photo. Once the teen shares something private, the tone flips. The demands start: send money, or the photo goes to family and friends. The scammer may be halfway around the world. The teen feels trapped, ashamed, and alone.

This pattern took the lives of Jordan DeMay, Bradyn Bohn, Ryan Stuart, and Braden Markus — all teenagers who died by suicide after being targeted in sextortion schemes. Their stories are devastating but not isolated.

Why teens don’t ask for help. Many fear legal trouble (child pornography laws can apply to self-produced images), judgment from parents, or that the images will surface at any moment. That fear keeps them silent when speaking up could save their lives.

Parents can help by having open, non-judgmental conversations about what to do if something goes wrong online. The message should be clear: if a stranger pressures you for photos, come to us immediately. No punishment. No lectures. Just help.

Source: Sextortion and Teen Suicide — Cyberbullying Research Center

Knowledge is the first defense. Talk to the teens in your life about sextortion before it happens. Let them know they can always come to you. If you encounter predatory behavior targeting a child online, report it immediately.

Report a predator here — your tip could help protect another family.