Education about online safety can help prevent deaths like that of a teen who fell victim to a sextortion scam, a coroner says.
Rohan Patrick Cosgriff was 17 when he was found dead at his home near Ballarat in July 2022.
In his pocket there was a note that read: ‘I made a huge mistake. I’m sorry.’
Police later discovered that in the two days prior to his death, the teen was a victim of sexual extortion.
He’d been pressured into sending an intimate picture of himself to someone called ‘Christine’ on SnapChat, who then threatened to distribute the images unless money was paid.
Investigators were unable to identify the person, but found the SnapChat account originated from Nigeria.
In a report released last week, Victorian Coroner Audrey Jamieson said a large amount of information was available for those who needed it – but there needed to be a shift in education.
‘The fact remains that with all the education in the world, and no matter how many times the message ‘don’t send intimate images’ is repeated, young people will continue to do these things,’ Ms Jamieson said.
‘The conversation must turn to should you find yourself in this situation, it is going to be OK.’
Teen sextortion victims such as Rohan Cosgriff need to know that they will be OK, a coroner says
Rohan was befriended by a stranger pretending to be a teenage girl on Instagram
A total of 11 other young people over the past decade have also taken their lives after being victims of sextortion or image-based abuse.
At least seven others died after they experienced bullying of a sexual nature but not image-based or sextortion.
‘If a young person finds themself in a situation like Rohan did, the most important thing is that they know they have not done anything wrong,’ the coroner wrote.
‘And that the situation will not define the rest of their lives.’
The coroner also suggested the teen’s death could inform the statutory review of the national Online Safety Act, particularly with respect to combating sextortion led by transnational crime syndicates.
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