I believe the bulk of the "victims" should be punished as well
I get what you’re saying, but I disagree on parts of it.
I think victims who kill their pets should obviously be charged with animal cruelty, no matter the age. I get it, they’re being coerced to do it and blackmailed with explicit content but any sane child would tell someone about the situation rather than kill their pets. Picture something like this happening to you as a preteen or teenager: Would you kill your beloved pet cat because some guy on telegram has your nudes and is gonna send them to your parents and school if you don’t comply with what he’s telling you to do? I think the obvious fucking answer here is no. I know that not all children have good support systems at home, but I feel like all parents would be 10x more upset to know that their child killed the family pet than to know their child sent nudes to strangers online. Both are terrible don’t get me wrong but in one of these scenarios you can help the child, the other one… they’re too far gone. The kid is gonna live with that messing them up forever and possibly reoffend, that’s why I think they should be charged with
something at least when animals are involved.
It’s common sense to not hurt animals, if you’ve ever had a baby and a cat or dog in the same room you’d know that babies can be a bit grabby with tails or whiskers and upset the animal. You teach the baby not to do it, and they don’t do it anymore. Unfortunately some people unlearn this the second a telegram nigga they met on Da Hood tells them to kill poor little Mittens the family cat. I don’t have as much sympathy for the victims that do this type of thing.
I also think that “victims” who lie about their age deserve to be punished, if you’re 16-17 lying about being a preteen you know that’s damn wrong and gross. It happens a disturbing amount in com. Those ones should be charged with something on the sex offender registry. At 16-17, you’ve probably had your first job, can possibly drive or own a car, are going to graduate and be a legal adult in a year or two, and most definitely know that roleplaying as a 12 year old is weird. No sympathy, and if I’m being honest, these types aren’t even victims.
On the other hand, we have the teenage girls who are extorters of other teenagers, basically just really perverted bullies. Those ones should be charged as well. They are perpetrators, not victims.
But I disagree with you when you say “a bulk” of victims. Majority of them just send nudes then cut themselves, they shouldn’t be punished for that. Unless you consider punishment to be getting internet privileges revoked, which is protection rather than actual punishment. I know this will sound a bit harsh but 8-14 year olds are a lot more retarded and immature than the older ones, the older ones being 15-17 get less sympathy because by that point you should know a lot better. Still victims, but less redeemable ones and were probably going to do bad shit like camwhoring themselves out regardless of being extorted or not.