"SB 73-enacted 'Sextortion' law set to commence operations in Kentucky's legal system next week"
Kentucky has taken a significant step in the fight against sextortion, a crime that has been on the rise in recent years. Senate Bill 73, sponsored by Sen. Julie Raque Adams, has been passed by the Kentucky General Assembly and is set to take effect on June 27.
The new law, titled "sextortion," is defined as using threats to coerce someone into providing sexual images, engaging in sexual acts, or giving money or something of value. This offense can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on factors such as the severity of the harm to the victim, use of threats, prior offenses, victim's age, or abuse of authority. Convicted felons under the statute will be added to the state's sex offender registry.
The legislation is a result of two years of advocacy by the Kentucky Sextortion Coalition, formed by Teena Halbig, a member of the state's Human Trafficking Task Force Prevention and Education Committee. The coalition's efforts were aimed at addressing the growing problem of sextortion, particularly in cases involving financially motivated schemes aimed at boys aged 14 to 17.
Financial losses from sextortion schemes have totaled nearly $65 million over the past two years, according to reports. The FBI received over 54,000 sextortion-related reports in 2024, a 30% increase from the previous year.
To address the mental health issues that often arise from sextortion cases, the law provides a means for victims or their families to seek legal recourse in addition to criminal charges. Schools in Kentucky are required to post signs in school buildings with details on how to report sextortion and where to seek support. Schools are also required to provide age-appropriate information to students and parents annually about sextortion.
The signs posted in schools will include the national suicide prevention hotline number, a measure aimed at preventing tragic outcomes. More than 20 teens have died by suicide after being targeted in sextortion cases.
Sen. Adams, in a statement, described sexual extortion as the fastest-growing crime against children. She emphasized that the law was created to combat the calculated and cruel nature of sexual extortion, which thrives on fear and silence. The law allows victims or their families to seek civil damages, legal fees, and court costs.
The passage of this law is part of a broader effort by Kentucky and other states to hold social media companies accountable for creating addictive platforms that expose minors to sextortion and other harmful content. Lawsuits filed against TikTok, Snapchat, and Meta in late 2024 claim that these platforms fail proper age verification and parental controls, exacerbating risks to children.
For more detailed information about the new law, including penalties and registration requirements, consult the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission website or official state legislative publications once they are released.
- The new legislation titled "sextortion" in Kentucky, passed by the General Assembly, aims to combat a rise in sextortion, a crime predominantly affecting boys aged 14 to 17, by penalizing offenders and adding them to the sex offender registry.
- Schools in Kentucky are required to provide annual age-appropriate information about sextortion to students and parents, and post signs with details on how to report sextortion and seek support, including the national suicide prevention hotline number.
- Lawsuits against social media companies like TikTok, Snapchat, and Meta claim they fail proper age verification and parental controls, contributing to the risks of sextortion and other harmful content faced by minors on their platforms.
- The law allows victims or their families to seek legal recourse, including civil damages, legal fees, and court costs, in addition to criminal charges, to address the mental health issues often associated with sextortion cases.
