Rector’s eNews 17: 4 June 2025

On a weekly basis, our School Counsellor, Tim Jarvis, raises a topic of importance with our tutors for them to discuss with their tutees either at the next meeting or, if the boys have other priorities, at some future date. The topic he raised for discussion recently was “sextortion”, the danger of which we, as a school, seek to bring to the attention of our boys on an annual basis through Emma Sadlier’s Digital Law Company and her speaking directly to the boys at the school. This year we are still in the process of making such arrangements.

Sextortion is the “practice of extorting money or sexual favours from someone by threatening to reveal evidence of their (cyber) sexual activity”. In some cases, this practice has become an operation run by international criminal gangs and the situation in South Africa is strikingly similar, suggesting that there may be a syndicate running an operation in this country. Apparently, the practice is on the rise again in 2025 which is why we are bringing it to the attention of our boys, especially as one of the main target groups is teenage boys. Emma Sadlier’s organisation has also recently mentioned the increase in cases recently. Her blog, Someone I don’t know is threatening to share naked photos of me unless I pay them! contains more information and we are drawing videos from the National Crime Agency, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgKIZjzoLLQ

and the CBC News YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHEW0B7NhBk) to the attention of the boys, critically informing them that they can talk to a staff member in confidence if they are being threatened as they are the victim and that they will not get into trouble as a result. Young people need to be confident that reporting a situation where they are a victim to a trusted adult, blocking the extortionist number and temporarily deactivating social media accounts is an appropriate response, and this can be followed by a lawyer’s letter to the extortionist. Emma Sadlier’s Digital Law Company provides a service along these lines.

I thought I would just mention the above not as a result of any particular incident which has recently occurred at Michaelhouse, but so that parents are generally aware and are able to respond appropriately should the need arise.

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