Posted on Mar 12, 2023
How law enforcement is promoting a troubling documentary about 'sextortion'
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https://www.npr.org/2023/03/12/ [login to see] /how-law-enforcement-is-promoting-a-troubling-documentary-about-sextortion
Law enforcement officials around the U.S. are sponsoring screenings of a new documentary film that warns parents about the dangers of sexually coercive crimes online. Dozens of organizations, including local police departments, universities, a film festival, the Pentagon and a U.S. attorney's office, have lent the film credibility by hosting screenings. Two other U.S. attorney's offices promoted the film in news releases.
Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic describes what the filmmakers refer to as "the fastest-growing crime in the world that nobody knows about" and that is "1,000 times more prevalent than sex trafficking."
"When you first face this kind of crime, you have a natural aversion to it. But then you realize: Oh my gosh, this could be happening to, well, at first we thought thousands — now we know it's millions of children," said Maria Peek, one of the documentary's filmmakers, at a screening at the University of Southern California in October 2022.
Law enforcement officials around the U.S. are sponsoring screenings of a new documentary film that warns parents about the dangers of sexually coercive crimes online. Dozens of organizations, including local police departments, universities, a film festival, the Pentagon and a U.S. attorney's office, have lent the film credibility by hosting screenings. Two other U.S. attorney's offices promoted the film in news releases.
Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic describes what the filmmakers refer to as "the fastest-growing crime in the world that nobody knows about" and that is "1,000 times more prevalent than sex trafficking."
"When you first face this kind of crime, you have a natural aversion to it. But then you realize: Oh my gosh, this could be happening to, well, at first we thought thousands — now we know it's millions of children," said Maria Peek, one of the documentary's filmmakers, at a screening at the University of Southern California in October 2022.
How law enforcement is promoting a troubling documentary about 'sextortion'
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Children
Sexual Assault
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1.) How law enforcement is promoting a troubling documentary about 'sextortion'
March 12, 20235:00 AM ET
The project comes from filmmakers Stephen and Maria Peek, whose past work includes a documentary about a teenage dance troupe and a collaboration with a notorious antisemite and conspiracy theorist who believes that alien, shape-shifting "reptoids" control world events
“The film features federal and local prosecutors, as well as Homeland Security Investigations agents, describing a serious crime against children that they believe is on the rise. But it also contains claims disputed by other experts in the field and an emphasis on large statistics that experts say muddle the scale and scope of the problem. NPR has learned that the filmmakers and the film's promotional materials misrepresented cooperation with the Department of Justice.”
The film's website lists the departments of Homeland Security and Justice as official "partners" and includes both departments' seals.
"The Justice Department had no involvement in the production beyond participating in an interview about the criminal case featured in the film," said a Justice Department spokesman. "The department is currently reviewing the matter, including ongoing or planned efforts to promote the film, to ensure that any action is in accordance with department policy."
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to NPR's inquiries about how it came to work with the filmmakers.
SOURCE : https://www.npr.org/2023/03/12/ [login to see] /how-law-enforcement-is-promoting-a-troubling-documentary-about-sextortion
2.) UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE PARTNERS WITH LOCAL AGENCIES TO SCREEN THE FILM “SEXTORTION: THE HIDDEN PANDEMIC”
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
* For Immediate Release
* U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Wyoming
* [login to see]
“The United States Attorney’s Office is partnering with the Governor’s Human Trafficking Task Force, Uprising, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Wyoming Division of Victim Services to screen the documentary, “SEXTORTION: The Hidden Pandemic,” in communities across Wyoming in the coming months.
Each event will include a screening of the film, followed by a panel discussion on current trends in Wyoming and tips on how to keep children safer. The first screening will take place at 6:00 p.m. on January 18, 2023, in the Surburgg/Prentice Auditorium at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne.
The second screening will be at 6:00 p.m. on January 19, 2023, at Laramie High School in Laramie.
SOURCE : https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/pr/united-states-attorneys-office-partners-local-agencies-screen-film-sextortion-hidden
March 12, 20235:00 AM ET
The project comes from filmmakers Stephen and Maria Peek, whose past work includes a documentary about a teenage dance troupe and a collaboration with a notorious antisemite and conspiracy theorist who believes that alien, shape-shifting "reptoids" control world events
“The film features federal and local prosecutors, as well as Homeland Security Investigations agents, describing a serious crime against children that they believe is on the rise. But it also contains claims disputed by other experts in the field and an emphasis on large statistics that experts say muddle the scale and scope of the problem. NPR has learned that the filmmakers and the film's promotional materials misrepresented cooperation with the Department of Justice.”
The film's website lists the departments of Homeland Security and Justice as official "partners" and includes both departments' seals.
"The Justice Department had no involvement in the production beyond participating in an interview about the criminal case featured in the film," said a Justice Department spokesman. "The department is currently reviewing the matter, including ongoing or planned efforts to promote the film, to ensure that any action is in accordance with department policy."
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to NPR's inquiries about how it came to work with the filmmakers.
SOURCE : https://www.npr.org/2023/03/12/ [login to see] /how-law-enforcement-is-promoting-a-troubling-documentary-about-sextortion
2.) UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE PARTNERS WITH LOCAL AGENCIES TO SCREEN THE FILM “SEXTORTION: THE HIDDEN PANDEMIC”
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
* For Immediate Release
* U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Wyoming
* [login to see]
“The United States Attorney’s Office is partnering with the Governor’s Human Trafficking Task Force, Uprising, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Wyoming Division of Victim Services to screen the documentary, “SEXTORTION: The Hidden Pandemic,” in communities across Wyoming in the coming months.
Each event will include a screening of the film, followed by a panel discussion on current trends in Wyoming and tips on how to keep children safer. The first screening will take place at 6:00 p.m. on January 18, 2023, in the Surburgg/Prentice Auditorium at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne.
The second screening will be at 6:00 p.m. on January 19, 2023, at Laramie High School in Laramie.
SOURCE : https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/pr/united-states-attorneys-office-partners-local-agencies-screen-film-sextortion-hidden
How law enforcement is promoting a troubling documentary about 'sextortion'
Law enforcement organizations are promoting a new film about children being exploited into sharing sexual images and videos. But many of the film's key claims lack context.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
...""I don't know anything about [the Icke film]. I didn't see that movie. If I'd seen a movie like that, I probably maybe wouldn't have picked Stephen and Maria. But, you know, quite frankly, they have such a passion for helping us save kids that I'm not sorry I did. I felt like they made a quality movie," says Singleton.
In a phone interview, she expressed frustration that NPR's reporting on the film would highlight anything other than crimes against children. "I think the story you're trying to tell is really sad," said Singleton.
Singleton says she wants the film to be translated into other languages and hopes to show it in every school in America. It's continuing to get attention. An upcoming screening for Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic in North Carolina next month is listed on the film's website."
...""I don't know anything about [the Icke film]. I didn't see that movie. If I'd seen a movie like that, I probably maybe wouldn't have picked Stephen and Maria. But, you know, quite frankly, they have such a passion for helping us save kids that I'm not sorry I did. I felt like they made a quality movie," says Singleton.
In a phone interview, she expressed frustration that NPR's reporting on the film would highlight anything other than crimes against children. "I think the story you're trying to tell is really sad," said Singleton.
Singleton says she wants the film to be translated into other languages and hopes to show it in every school in America. It's continuing to get attention. An upcoming screening for Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic in North Carolina next month is listed on the film's website."
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