As technology continues to redefine relationships and communications, the thin line between digital intimacy and digital vulnerability has blurred.
In Ghana’s connected society, where private moments are often shared through social media and messaging apps, sextortion has quietly become one of the most underreported forms of digital abuse.
Two lovebirds end up sharing intimate pictures and videos to each other through the internet under the scheme of long-distance relationship. Upon breakup or what is popularly known as “broken heart”, one party starts to either send or threaten to send those sexual pictures and videos to other people or even leak it on social media, giving conditions like unless he or she is paid an amount of money or engage in sexual activity with the victim. Since the sharing of these sexual objects may affect the dignity of the individual, the victim is often compelled to comply with such conditions. The question is, is the law hush on this kind of distress or are there legal frameworks in place to elucidate this matter?
The Ghanaian Context: A Growing but Silent Menace
In Ghana today, what often begins as innocent digital connection is increasingly turning into a trap, a painful reminder that not every private moment online stays private.
Between January and April 2025 alone, Ghanaians lost close to GhC 500,000 in sextortion and online blackmail cases according to the Cyber Security Authority. That’s nearly five times the amount recorded the previous year. Behind these figures are real stories. At KNUST, two 19-year-old students turned a friend’s trust into betrayal, demanding money to keep a private video from going public. In Accra, a woman looking for companionship online was lured by a man pretending to be a US soldier only to be blackmailed with her own intimate images. Another heartbreaking case was when a young woman seeking a job opportunity was secretly filmed by a man who later used the footage to control and humiliate her.
These are not isolated incidents; they reveal how deeply sextortion is cutting into the fabric of everyday life. Ghana’s youth, particularly those active on platforms like Snapchats, Tiktok and Telegram are the most vulnerable. Perpetrators often pose as lovers or recruiters, gain victim’s trust and record or solicit explicit content. The threats that follow can lead to severe psychological trauma, financial loss and social isolation.
The Legal Landscape: What the Law Says and Enforcement Challenges
Ghana’s legal framework for protecting individuals from sexual exploitation and cyber-enabled abuse is grounded in both the Criminal Offences Act, 1960(Act 29) and the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038).
While Act 29 lays the foundation for traditional offences involving indecent conduct and extortion, Act 1038 extends the law into the digital space capturing modern forms of cyber exploitation and privacy invasion. Under section 151 of Act 29, extortion is defined as obtaining property or benefit through threats or coercion. This provision applies where an offender demands money or favour in exchange for not releasing intimate content. Section 66 of Act 1038 specifically criminalizes sexual extortion, targeting anyone who demands sexual acts or content under threat of exposure. Section 67 of Act 1038 prohibits the non- consensual sharing of intimate images, while Section 68 makes it an offence to threaten to distribute such images. Article 5 of the CEDAW obliges states to eliminate gender-based violence including digital sexual coercion.
Despite Ghana’s progress in criminalising sextortion, several challenges hinder effective enforcement.
Public awareness remain low and victims often choose silence out of fear, shame or distrust in the justice system. This widespread underreporting limits law enforcement’s ability to prosecute offenders.
Jurisdictional barriers also weaken enforcement as many perpetrators operate anonymously or from abroad, beyond the reach of Ghanaian authorities.
Institutional limitations compound the problem. Many police officers and prosecutors lack the digital forensic expertise needed to handle electronic evidence, resulting in weak or abandoned prosecutions.
Victim protection mechanisms are also minimal; laws focus on punishing offenders but provide little psychosocial support or privacy safeguards for survivors.
Finally, Ghana’s conservative cultural attitudes towards sex discourage open discussions on digital consent and exploitation. Addressing this issue requires a holistic approach.
Changing the Narrative: From Blame to Empowerment
Taking into account Ghana’s new Cybersecurity Amendment Bill, the country stands at a crucial turning point in the fight against sextortion and other digital sexual crimes. While previous laws such as the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) and the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) laid important groundwork, the evolving nature of online exploitation demands a more explicit and adaptive legal approach. This legislative reform should go beyond punishment to include victim-centered provisions. Specialized police units and prosecutors need clear mandates to handle sextortion cases with confidentiality and empathy, while survivors should have access to counselling, legal aid, and safe digital reporting systems. Embedding these mechanisms directly into the new law would ensure that victims are protected, not re-traumatized, during the justice process.
Equally essential is the inclusion of digital literacy and public education. Ghana’s legal response must emphasize prevention as much as prosecution, with the Bill promoting awareness campaigns on online consent, privacy, and ethical digital behaviour. Schools and universities should integrate digital safety into curricula to build a culture of responsibility among young internet users.
Finally, given the borderless nature of sextortion, the new Cybersecurity Bill should strengthen international cooperation. By aligning Ghana’s laws with global standards such as the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, and by collaborating with technology companies to trace and remove non-consensual intimate content, Ghana can better safeguard its citizens in an increasingly interconnected digital world.
In the end, the message is simple but urgent: Digital intimacy should never become a digital trap.
About the Writer
Bernard Kwaku Owusu is President of the UPSA Law Students’ Union with a focus on integrity, innovation, and inclusive leadership. Passionate about Cybersecurity and Intellectual Property Law, he advocates for youth empowerment, digital rights, and good governance, using his platform to inspire dialogue and drive positive change.
