ⓘ This page has been translated using artificial intelligence.

5 minutes

Cybergrooming & Sextortion:
A Guide for Parents

While sexting, pornography and sharenting are still legal up to a certain point, cybergrooming, sextortion and paedophile crimes are criminal acts that endanger children's physical and sexual integrity. Unfortunately, the possibilities offered by the internet play a decisive, negative role here. We explain what these terms mean and how you can protect your child.

Go directly to topic

Cybergrooming

Sextortion

Paedocrime

Violent videos as a test of courage

What to do if your child has been a victim?

What the law says

Further content

You will find these topics on this page:

What exactly do the terms cybergrooming, sextortion and paedophile crime mean?
How does the three-step rule ‘Stop – Block – Tell’ help?
And what can you do if your child has been a victim?
We have compiled the most important legal texts on the subject for you.

You will find the following topics on this page

Behaviour tips for sextortion

Child affected: Act now

What the law says

Topic

Cybergrooming

Cybergrooming describes the behaviour of adults who seek contact with children or young people online in order to sexually harass them or, in the worst case, to prepare for sexual abuse. With compliments, feigned understanding and empathy, the perpetrators present themselves as friendly conversation partners and thus gain the trust of their victims.

Questions such as ‘Have you ever had sex?’ are asked and children and young people are pressured into meeting up. Intimate images that have already been exchanged are used as leverage to force them into sharing more images or meeting up in the real world.

Topic

Sextortion

The term is a combination of ‘sex’ and “extortion”, the latter meaning ‘blackmail’. Criminals use false identities to gain the trust of children and young people and obtain sensitive or intimate images of them. They then demand money and threaten to send the images or videos to school friends, family or employers.

According to Pro Juventute, girls and women are more likely to be asked to expose themselves sexually, while boys are ‘chatted up by supposedly young, attractive women’. They receive revealing photos and films from them and are asked in return to send intimate photos of themselves.

There are no specific criminal provisions in the Swiss Criminal Code relating to cybergrooming and sextortion. However, the acts may constitute the following criminal offences:

Sexual harassment (Section 198 of the Criminal Code)
Sexual acts with children (Art. 187 SCC)
Pornography (Art. 197 SCC)
Blackmail (Art. 156 SCC)
Defamation (Art. 174 SCC)
Violation of privacy or confidentiality through recording devices (Art. 179quater SCC)
Attempted sexual acts with children (Art. 22 and Art. 187(1)(1) SCC)
Attempted production of child pornography (Art. 22 and Art. 197(4) and (5) SCC)

Of course, adults are also affected by cybergrooming and sextortion, and such acts are also punishable by law in these cases. When it comes to children and young people, perpetrators deliberately exploit their victims' ignorance and naivety. For this reason, we as parents and teachers are urged to make our children aware of the risks involved in contacting strangers.

The standard three-step approach of ‘stop – block – tell’ helps.

Stop

End the discussion immediately if you feel uncomfortable or threatened. Explain to your child that it is by no means rude to abruptly end such a discussion.

Block

Blocking the user reduces the risk of you or your child being involved in another conversation or threatened. Neither you nor your child will see any further attempts to contact you.

Tell

Seek help. Whether it's the school social worker, an older sister or the parents: your child should not feel alone when faced with such a threat. Make it clear that you are always there for your child.

Topic

Paedocrime

Among other things, according to the Swiss Youth Protection Act (Art. 197 para. 1 StGB), sexual acts with children and young people under the age of 16 are prohibited, regardless of whether they consent or not. ‘Nevertheless, around one in seven children in Switzerland experiences sexual violence involving physical contact by adults or older children at least once. In the virtual world, the extent of the abuse is even greater,’ writes the Stiftung Kinderschutz Schweiz(opens in new tab) (Child Protection Switzerland).

In 2020, 1,257 cases of sexual acts involving children were reported across Switzerland, although the actual number is likely to be significantly higher. The Police Crime Statistics (PKS)(opens in new tab) for 2021 show that 8.5 per cent of all crimes registered by the police with a digital component involved ‘cyber sexual offences’. This corresponds to a total of 2,572 cases of illegal pornography, cybergrooming, sextortion or live streaming of sexual violence against children.

Topic

Violent videos as a test of courage

According to the Swiss media usage study JAMESfocus 2021, boys consume and send violent videos or videos showing real fights significantly more often than girls. Boys also tend to like violent film genres more than girls. Fights in peer groups can therefore be seen as an expression of masculinity, risk-taking and assertiveness.

Young people have become not only consumers but also distributors (or even producers) of such violent videos: sending violent or illegal content can create a sense of belonging or mutual trust among male youths. Some people forget that videos intended as thrills or tests of courage are often punishable by law. This is because the possession and distribution of depictions in which the dignity of humans (or animals) is seriously violated is a criminal offence (Section 135 of the Criminal Code).

Topic

What to do if your child has been a victim?

Has your child been the victim of sexual predators? Show your willingness to help, offer moral support and do not punish your child. Be sure to strengthen their resolve and stand by them.

Observe the deadline for notification

Would you like to file a criminal complaint? Please note that the deadline is three months after the offence was committed.

Report a crime

If you suspect a paedophile crime, there is zero tolerance: you must report the crime. Any police station will take your report.

Clarify the facts

Find out without reservation what happened and how the assault came about. Caution: If you collect evidence that constitutes pornographic content (images, videos), you are making yourself liable to prosecution by storing this content. It is better to leave this to the police.

Take advantage of professional advice

Contact specialists or child protection agencies and seek professional advice.

What you can do if you witness paedophile crimes

Report it (Click and stop)

If you come across paedophile content online, do not hesitate to report it. Since this spring, you have been able to report such content anonymously at clickandstop.ch(opens in new tab).

Do not collect evidence

Do not take screenshots or download any content you encounter – doing so will make you liable to prosecution.

No random complaints

Only report content if you are convinced that it is paedophile content. This will relieve the burden on law enforcement agencies, allowing them to concentrate on relevant cases.

Topic

What the law says

The Swiss Criminal Code is very strict when it comes to protecting our children. What applies in real life also applies on the internet. Swiss case law adheres to this principle when it comes to pornography and violence.

Your child has rights – the Children's Ombudsman provides advice and assistance.

When it comes to safeguarding the rights of children and young people in dealings with the police, solicitors and courts, the Children's Ombudsman provides advice and support. It works to ensure that all parties involved communicate in a child-friendly manner, that the number of interviews is kept to an absolute minimum, and that children are granted their right to be heard.

To the Children's Ombudsman's Office(opens in new tab)

Depiction of cruel violence (Section 135 SCC)

In brief: Anyone who produces or makes available to others audio or video recordings, objects, images or performances depicting cruel acts of violence against humans or animals shall be punished with imprisonment of up to three years or a fine.

Anyone who procures or possesses such objects or performances shall be punished with imprisonment of up to one year or a fine.

To the text of the law(opens in new tab)

Sexual coercion (Section 189 SCC)

In brief: Anyone who forces another person to tolerate a sexual act or act similar to sexual intercourse through threats, the use of force or psychological pressure shall be punished with imprisonment of up to ten years or a fine.

To the text of the law(opens in new tab)

Protection of minors (Section 197(1) SCC)

In brief: Anyone who makes pornographic writings, recordings, images or performances available to a person under the age of 16 shall be punished with imprisonment of up to three years or a fine.

To the text of the law(opens in new tab)

Illegal pornography (Section 197(4) and (5) SCC)

In brief: Anyone who produces or makes available to others, procures or possesses pornographic material or performances within the meaning of the Youth Protection Act that involve sexual acts with animals, violence between adults or non-actual acts with minors shall be punished with imprisonment of up to three years or a fine. In the case of actual sexual acts with minors, the prison sentence is increased to five years.

Anyone who consumes the above-mentioned items and performances or produces, procures or possesses them for their own consumption shall be punished with imprisonment of up to one year or a fine. In the case of actual sexual acts with minors, the prison sentence is increased to three years.

To the text of the law

Sexual harassment (Section 198 SCC)

In brief: Anyone who unexpectedly performs a sexual act in front of another person and thereby causes offence, assaults them or sexually harasses them with coarse language will be punished with a fine upon request.

To the text of the law(opens in new tab)

This is important

When adults seek contact with children and young people online for the purpose of sexually abusing them, this is referred to as cybergrooming.
If (cyber) criminals obtain sensitive or intimate images, these can be used for blackmail, for example to obtain money. In such cases, this is referred to as sextortion.
Although sexual acts with children and young people under the age of 16 are prohibited under Swiss youth protection legislation, around one in seven children in Switzerland experience paedophile crime. In the virtual world, the figure is even higher.
The possession and distribution of violent videos is a criminal offence in Switzerland.
Report the crime immediately (at the latest within three months of the offence) if your child has been a victim.