St. Croix County Children Services, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and several local organizations, hosted the free community awareness event, Protecting Our Youth: Understanding Sextortion, on October 8 at St. Croix Central High School in Hammond, WI.
The event brought together parents, caregivers, educators, and community members to learn how to recognize, prevent, and respond to sextortion, a growing online crime that targets youth through manipulation and exploitation. Attendees heard from experts and community partners about what sextortion is, how it happens, the warning signs, and how to support youth who may be affected. The evening featured presentations from Brittney Bird and John DeMay, who shared their personal experiences after losing a child to sextortion.
“Sextortion is a difficult topic to discuss, but even harder to ignore,” said Rachel Johnson, Social Worker, and Emily Anderson, Case Manager, with St. Croix County Children Services. “By coming together, learning the signs, and supporting each other, we can help protect our youth and prevent future tragedies. We extend our gratitude to everyone who attended, and to the sponsors, donors, and volunteers who made this event possible.”
A full recording of the event is available on the St. Croix Central School District’s YouTube channel.
Parental discretion is advised due to the sensitive nature of the presentation. The views shared in this recording are those of the individual presenters.
Find Help and Learn More
If you or someone is experiencing sextortion, contact local law enforcement immediately. Here are additional sextortion prevention and metal health resources:
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): Learn more about sextortion prevention and online safety.
- Take It Down: If you or someone you know is a victim of exploitative content online, this resource can help remove images and videos.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: You are not alone. If you need someone to talk to call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org
A special thank you to the local organizations involved in this event:
- Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ)
- Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC)
- TurningPoint
- NAMI St. Croix Valley
- Family Therapy Associates
- St. Croix Valley Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)
- Living Well Together
- St. Croix County Behavioral Health
- St. Croix County Public Health
Brittney Bird speaking at the Protecting Our Youth: Understanding Sextortion awareness event on October 8, 2025, at the St. Croix Central High School in Hammond, WI.
John DeMay speaking at the Protecting Our Youth: Understanding Sextortion awareness event on October 8, 2025, at the St. Croix Central High School in Hammond, WI.