I'm being blackmailed **TW: contains content about alleged child abuse**

[Wheretoturnnow12345]

I'm honestly at my wits end here. Someone I've not heard from in 15 years has made contact today out of the blue and is blackmailing me over something I did in the past when I was 16. This could seriously ruin my life and I genuinely don't know what to do

Posting here mainly for traffic

I really would not worry. It’s not like you were his 40 year old female teacher. I really think the police have more pressing matters these days.

i would call his bluff ‘let’s go to the police together and get this ironed out’.

I think that you need to be careful about what he sends to your computer. Don't engage with him at all.

Either blank him or take it to the Police.

On a social level, I don't think many will judge. Are you worried on a professional level?

I never checked for certain but he was younger yes.

I was stupid to agreeing to do anything again but q bit naive thought I could do it quickly and end the matter so to speak

Unless you tackle this head on it will weigh on you forever. You were 16, not 32. I doubt very much there is any case to answer. I would go to the police and get it all out there

The obvious question is what did you do?

This could also be construed as revenge porn which is also illegal, this plus having possession of a video of a non consensual sex act (and it is because he was already blackmailing you), I think OP you now have more on him.

I don't know where you are but this is a UK-based site with mostly UK-based posters.

Because of a lot of USA based TV and media in the UK, people quite often mention USA laws like statute of limitations and statutory rape.

They don't exist in the UK.

There are no statutory limitations for criminal cases in the UK.

And as an aside, you don't know what hearsay is so shouldn't be mentioning it.

There can be a starute of limitations for civil cases in the UK but not criminal.

That's how nasty people work. You were a child. I have a 16 y.o daughter.
What he done to you is horrendous.

She already answered that.

I would report him to the police. I would not say that it was you in the video just that a random person has sent you video of CSA and is trying to blackmail you.

They will likely look into him only and I would suggest he has many more crimes to be uncovered.

Op, tell him to fuck off and when he gets there to fuck off further. Laugh at him and call his bluff. Literally nobody gives a fuck what teenagers did prehistorically unless it was murder or rape.

What a fucking arsehole.

Is he blackmailing you for money and threatening to share the video as both are illegal. have you got messages from him as proof.

Don't open any files he sends you

If it’s that old it’s likely you wouldn’t be able to tell who it was in the video. Especially him if he just filmed you doing it and it doesn’t show his face or anything.

have you seen the video?

Tell him you aren't prepared to put up with his threats anymore so will report it yourself so a line can be drawn under it.

I'll bet you never hear from him again.

You didn't actually commit a crime. You didn't know he was younger and you were only a minor yourself. The person is actually committing an offence by possessing and threatening to distribute this video. Its CSA footage. He can't do shit to you!

This is important OP and something that might make you feel less scared about getting in trouble.

Him blackmailing for money now, in writing, is undeniably a crime and you now have proof of that crime thanks to him messaging.

Him sharing that video would be undeniably a crime as again, there would be a (digital) paper trail thanks to him messaging.

He has made himself far more vulnerable to legal trouble than you ever have!

the police won't be interested in prosecuting this.

Go to them , end this nonsense now and make sure any videos are targeted - they can find them online etc and delete if they still exist.

Be VERY careful. If he sends it to you then YOU also commit the offence of possession of indecent images of a child.

The law is very clear on this.

If he sends the video to you, then you will have to report it to the police. Otherwise YOU will be in very serious trouble.

DO NOT ASK HIM FOR PROOF OF THIS.

Also OP I think I would go to the police about this so that you don’t have it hanging over you for years to come. I know that’s easier said than done though and while I think that’s what I would do, none of us know until we are in your shoes.

Sex would have been illegal but surely whilst frowned upon simply sex acts between teenagers isn’t illegal?

OP you were 16. He is now an adult male theatening you. Go to the police. Tell them your story. They won't care about 15 years ago but they will care about the blackmail.

Work on not blaming yourself for the cruelty of others. It makes you more vulnerable to abuse not less. And you have a duty—and a right—to protect yourself from predators. Stop excusing them and downplaying their cruelty to you.

Look for Gavin Debecker’s book The Gift of Fear and start learning to trust yourself and avoid dangerous people.

Good job posting here and getting advice and support instead of submitting to the illegal snd extortionate pressure. Very, very good!

Emphasising this again. If he sends you a video DO NOT OPEN IT and DEFINITELY go straight to the police. You are committing a crime if you keep it and do not report

I think in these circumstances, going to the police and being 100% honest about what you know to be the facts is the only sensible option. Don't 'not mention' anything, or dress it up in any way. Just tell them what happened and what is happening now, and show them the proof of him trying to blackmail you.

I agree with others that it's highly unlikely the police would be in any position to prosecute you for what happened in the past, but this man is absolutely breaking the law right now.