THE warning by the Zimbabwe Republic Police about the apparent rise in sextortion cases deserves to be taken seriously by every Zimbabwean who uses a mobile phone or social media platform.
Sextortion is not simply an embarrassing disagreement between lovers.
It is a form of blackmail in which intimate photographs, videos or other sexual material are used to threaten, humiliate or extort victims.
Zimbabwean police have warned that some victims are losing substantial amounts of money to former lovers, while others have suffered devastating consequences after private material was leaked online.
This is precisely why the police are right to raise the alarm.
Technology has made it remarkably easy for people to create, store and share intimate material.
A photograph intended for one person can, within minutes, be distributed to hundreds or thousands of people.
Once material reaches social media, controlling its spread becomes extremely difficult.
The danger becomes even greater when relationships collapse.
A person who once appeared loving and trustworthy can suddenly turn into an extortionist, threatening to expose private photographs unless money is paid or demands are met.
Some victims are repeatedly forced to pay, only to discover that the blackmailer comes back for more.
This is a vicious cycle that must be broken.
Perhaps the most worrying aspect of sextortion is the shame surrounding it. Victims can become too embarrassed to approach the police, fearing that relatives, friends, workmates or church members will discover what happened.
This silence, however, gives criminals greater power.
The message from law enforcement must therefore be clear: victims should not suffer in silence.
The person doing the threatening is the criminal, not the victim.
This distinction is particularly important when dealing with young people.
International law-enforcement agencies have reported significant increases in sextortion involving children and young adults, demonstrating that this is not a uniquely Zimbabwean problem.
Parents also have an important role to play.
Children need to understand that not everyone they meet online is who they claim to be.
A friendly conversation, romantic approach or attractive profile can sometimes be the beginning of a carefully planned scam.
Schools should also incorporate digital safety into their guidance programmes.
Young people must be taught about privacy, responsible use of social media and the dangers of sending intimate material.
But prevention cannot rest entirely on potential victims.
Police and other authorities must strengthen cybercrime investigations and ensure that those responsible for sextortion face the full force of the law.
Social-media companies must also respond quickly when intimate material is reported and assist investigators in tracing offenders.
Most importantly, Zimbabweans must abandon the culture of blaming victims.
Nobody deserves to be blackmailed, humiliated or threatened because they trusted somebody with private material.
Even where a victim made a poor decision by sharing an intimate photograph, that does not give another person the right to exploit it.
The police warning should therefore be viewed not as an attempt to frighten the public, but as an important public-service message.
Zimbabwe is increasingly connected to the digital world. Unfortunately, criminals are connected too.
The best defence is awareness, caution and the courage to report abuse.
