One member of the South Carolina Statehouse has introduced legislation that was inspired by a family tragedy. District 48 Representative Brandon Guffey of York County tragically lost his 17 year old son, Gavin to suicide last year.
The teenager took his own life after becoming a victim of sextortion, a form of blackmail involving sexually explicit images and materials. Last week, Brandon Guffey proposed a bill to raise awareness and punish those who perpetrate sextortion. The house gave Guffey a standing ovation after he made an emotional plea in favor of the bill and voted unanimously to pass the legislation.
The bill makes the act of sextortion in South Carolina punishable by up to 20 years in prison and another 20 year sentence is possible, if the victim dies as a result. The law in South Carolina comes as the issue of sextortion has become rampant. The FBI says over 7,000 cases were reported just last year. "