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Jacksonville Launches Sextortion Crisis Hotline with $10K Jaguars Backing as Reports Surge
A new Jacksonville hotline, funded in part by a $10,000 Jaguars contribution and run with the State Attorney's Office, offers immediate help to young sextortion victims and their families as national reports climb 37% in a year.
Jacksonville â Young people targeted by financial sextortion and their families now have a dedicated local lifeline, with the launch Tuesday of the Here Tomorrow Sextortion Crisis Hotline at 904-222-6988.
The hotline, operated by the nonprofit Here Tomorrow in partnership with the State Attorney's Office for Florida's 4th Judicial Circuit, was bolstered by a $10,000 contribution from the Jacksonville Jaguars. It is designed to give victims immediate support and a clear plan for what to do next, according to officials.
"This hotline will give victims and their families someone to call in a moment that they need help," State Attorney Melissa Nelson said. "Someone who understands what is happening, who can help them through the immediate crisis and can work with them on a plan for what comes next."
Financial sextortion typically begins when someone using a fake identity persuades a young person to send an explicit photo, then demands money or gift cards to keep the image private. Nelson said victims are often boys between 14 and 17 years old, though any child or young adult can be targeted.
The need is growing sharply. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received an average of 137 sextortion reports a day in 2025, a 37% increase over the previous year, Nelson said. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center logged more than 75,000 sextortion-related submissions last year. Nelson also said more than 50 American teenagers have died by suicide in connection with sextortion since 2021.
Here Tomorrow President and CEO Terrie Andrews said the organization pairs callers with peers who have lived experience, aiming to reduce the shame and fear that can keep victims silent.
"We want to be a safe space for the teens calling in because sometimes they are just extremely frightened that their parents are gonna find out," Andrews said. "But actually they are the victim."
About 20 Here Tomorrow employees have been trained on sextortion and how to support victims, Nelson said. The hotline can also connect young people and their parents with law enforcement resources.
Nelson urged parents to watch for warning signs, including a conversation that moves from a gaming platform to another app, and to monitor devices and talk with children about online threats.
"Your future is more than a moment in crisis," Nelson said. "You deserve to be here tomorrow."