Modelling Victim-Perpetrator Dynamics in Online Teen Sextortion: An Adaptive Network Approach

This study addresses the growing cyber threat of online sextortion targeting teenagers, a form of technology-facilitated sexual abuse in which perpetrators manipulate victims into sharing explicit content under threats of exposure. Drawing on real-world patterns of victim–offender interactions, we developed a detailed adaptive network-oriented model to simulate the psychological and behavioural escalation of sextortion. Key variables include victim vulnerability, trust formation, grooming intensity, content requests, threats, compliance loops, and resistance responses. The purpose of the study is to use network-oriented simulation to support cyber risk management by identifying early warning signs, high-risk interaction patterns, and effective points for prevention or disruption. The model’s insights apply to the development of targeted awareness campaigns, educational programs, platform-level safety features, and digital reporting.