The parents of a British teenager who tragically took his own life after falling victim to sextortion have made a direct appeal to criminals in Nigeria to cease “terrorising” vulnerable children. Murray Dowey, from Dunblane, was just 16 years old when he ended his life last year.
It is believed that Murray was manipulated by criminals, primarily based in West Africa, into sending intimate images of himself, which were then used to blackmail him. His parents, Mark and Ros Dowey, have condemned both the perpetrators of this crime and social media companies for not doing enough to protect young people from such dangers.
Sextortion typically involves victims being coerced into sending explicit images or videos, with threats that these materials will be shared unless demands for money or further images are met. It is thought that the pressure from the blackmail led Murray to take his own life.
Mark and Ros Dowey have now recorded a video message addressing the criminals behind the crime. “You’re abusing children. You’ve ended Murray’s life,” they said. “How would you feel if it was your child or your little brother?” They also expressed disgust at the exploitation of young people for financial gain, calling it “cruel” and “unacceptable.”
Sextortion is a growing problem in Nigeria, where it has become a widespread criminal activity involving thousands of young men known as “yahoo boys.” Guides on how to participate in the crime are openly sold online,
One Nigerian blackmailer, referred to the activity as a “survival of the fittest” industry. He admitted to treating sextortion as a game and was reportedly shocked and moved upon hearing the Doweys’ video message.
While the Dowey family holds the criminals responsible for their son’s death, they also point the finger at tech companies for failing to prevent these crimes. Social media platforms are often used by sextortionists to target victims, who are then pressured through their contacts and social networks.
Ros Dowey said, “I think they’ve got blood on their hands. The technologies are there for them to stop so many of these crimes.” Her husband Mark believes that Silicon Valley companies won’t take stronger action because it would hurt their profits.
The National Crime Agency has revealed that sextortion is targeting all age groups, but the majority of victims are boys aged between 14 and 18. Experts believe many victims are too scared or embarrassed to report the crime.
Mark Dowey described his son as a “lovely kid” and said he had no idea anything was wrong until it was too late. “He went up to his room, and he was absolutely fine. And we found him dead the next morning,” he recalled.
The Dowey family is now involved in a campaign aimed at raising awareness about sextortion. The campaign, which will be launched in Edinburgh, will provide advice to young people on the risks of sharing intimate images online and offer guidance on what to do if they are targeted by criminals.
Mark and Ros have one key message for young people: “There’s nothing that is worth taking your own life for. If something happens to you, put that phone down and go and get somebody you trust and tell them it’s happened.”
They added: “We can’t have this happening to more children. What happened to Murray must not happen again.”