WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — With the increasing time we spend on social media and newer generations growing up in these environments, the amount of online cases of child exploitation or sextortion has also increased.
According to the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the number of reported sextortion cases received from CyberTips have gone up. In 2024, the total number of sextortion related tips was 230, and so far in 2025, that number has increased to approximately 400. DC Everest Superintendent, Casey Nye, wants students to know it’s okay to reach out when they encounter something uncomfortable online.
“Things don’t always go as planned. We are always trying to make it safe to reach out for help, and we know that as a school, families are our number one. We want families to have the support that they need to be that network for their kids.”
Dr. Nye says the school has made it a point to ensure that students have at least one adult they are comfortable talking to.
“We have lots of different ways that we try to build relationships, I mean, I think it’s a core expectation for our classrooms teachers that they are going to start not only with the expectations of a syllabus, and here’s what we’re going to learn this year, but it’s also about being seen as an individual kid, an individual person, so that really is baked into every effort that that we have.”
Students also have the option of submitting a survey internally through a new digital tool called Connect. This tool will inform staff and faculty if a student feels the need to reach out to someone.
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