'Sextortion' awareness pushed by Gatineau police due to complaints

Police in Gatineau, Que., have launched an awareness campaign about "sextortion,"which they say led to 30 complaints in 2014.

"Sextortion"is the act of blackmailing someone by threatening to publish compromising pictures in order to get money or a favour.

Gatineau police say the 30 complaints this year involve victims as young as 16 years old and as old as 58, but the average age of the victims is mid-20s.

The majority of thecases involvefemale victims and both parties speaking French, police added.

Police also say they notice most of the perpetrators are based in other countries, which complicates investigations.

As a result, police have created a webpage on the topic to focus on prevention, which includes a video. You can watch the video above.