Blackmail is what? Article 163 of the Criminal Code: "Extortion, blackmail"

Blackmail is a way of controlling other people, unseemly acts for the purpose of extortion, aimed at obtaining any benefits (material, physical or psychological) by threatening to expose, disclose any discrediting information, intimidation or coercion.

Psychological blackmail

Parents who are dissatisfied with the behavior of the child, a couple that is severely experiencing the gap, the employer who demands more from his employee, are all potential situations for the use of psychological violence. Emotional blackmail is the kind of manipulation that close people use most often to get what they need to achieve more comfortable conditions for themselves. This type of threat is not a criminal offense and is not regulated by law, so you have to deal with the blackmailer yourself:

• To begin with, it is necessary to understand that if you give way once, the probability of again encountering a blackmailer is great. Accepting his conditions, we only help him improve his skills.
• Going at the blackmailer on occasion, a person belittles self-esteem, which will adversely affect the mental state.
• In no case can you join a blackmailer in an emotional conflict, take his threats to heart. You need to treat him smoothly and emotionally, keeping a distance.
• Stop fearing the threats of the blackmailer, but on the contrary, understand what motivates him and why he does it, understand the essence of his behavior and push him in the right direction out of the conflict situation, looking for other sources to meet his desires.

Physical blackmail

But physical blackmail is a method of extortion. This type of threat already falls under the Criminal Code and is regulated by law. Extortion refers to a group of crimes against property, but not including signs of embezzlement.

Article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation 163 classifies extortion as a requirement to transfer someone else's property or the right to it under the threat of using violence, disseminating a deceitful or discrediting victim or close information, destroying property.

Criminal punishment for extortion

If extortion is committed by prior agreement with a group of persons, with the use of violence, on a large scale, article 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation sets the penalty in the form of imprisonment for up to 7 years and a fine of up to 500 thousand rubles or in the amount of salary received by the convict over the last three years .

If the extortion was committed by an organized group of people with the aim of obtaining property in especially large amounts, with violence and causing serious harm to health, the punishment is from 7 to 15 years of imprisonment with a monetary penalty of 1 million rubles.

Types of extortion. The blackmailer-extortionist - who is he?

Any claim of property or money from a person in exchange for some kind of service or concealment of secrets is regarded as a crime. And this must be remembered both for the extortioner and for the victim: any physical blackmail is an article.

As shown by criminal practice, the most common type in our country is extortion of the school-student type with a specific contingent - schoolchildren and young people under 25 years. As a rule, this is the most "harmless" kind of blackmail.

Crimes of this kind are committed by both individuals and groups of individuals. And, due to their age qualities, schoolchildren act in most cases by a group, and students prefer an individual form of committing a crime. This is due to the fact that the blackmailer-schoolboy because of his immaturity and desire for self-affirmation needs psychological support from his peers.

Most often, "difficult teenagers", children from disadvantaged families, many of whom are registered with law enforcement agencies and have poor academic performance at school, become extortionists. For such blackmail the article of the Criminal Code provides for punishment in the form of a fine of 80,000 rubles or imprisonment up to 4 years, as well as forced labor up to 4 years with restriction of freedom up to 2 years or without him or arrest for up to 6 months.

This type of blackmail, as a rule, does not include physical harm to the victim, although student extortion is sometimes characterized by causing slight or severe harm to the victim's health in a state of intoxication.

The second type is household. A man of any status and prosperity can become a blackmailer here. Motive in this case is not only greed and greed, but also personal insults. The criminal in domestic extortion acts by means of blackmail. The threat is usually transmitted orally, sometimes by phone or through electronic communication. The written form is used extremely rarely. To manipulate the victim, threats of physical violence are most often used.

The third type is racketeering. He has a direct connection with the world of business and market economy and enjoyed special popularity in our country during the perestroika times. It is performed, as a rule, by an organized group of individuals, is of the most aggressive character, accompanied by serious harm to the health of the victim.

The fourth type is official. This type of crime is committed by a person with a high status status and certain regalia. Basically, it includes bribery.

How to behave, if you are being blackmailed?

Any blackmail is the strongest emotional shake, so the main rule in this situation is not to be nervous, calm down and start thinking.

• It is necessary to understand what exactly are going to blackmail you. When you figure out what information can be used against you, try to get acquainted with its content. Very often it is transmitted orally, so it is worth demanding that it be provided in full. On the hands must remain at least copies of documents that will serve as evidence.
• In case of refusal to complete the transaction, find out when the next threat will be . By this you gain time, which will give you an opportunity to think and calculate further actions.
• Calmly assess the situation and decide whether the connection with the blackmailer will be an even greater mistake than the rejection of it. What will you lose if you do not agree to go for the conditions of the criminal?

How to prove and where to apply?

What if you are being blackmailed? Go directly to the law enforcement agencies with a statement on the basis of which a criminal case will be launched. It is necessary to apply to the hospital for medical examination, if in the process of blackmail, damage was caused to health. Try to record the conversation on the recorder, provide printouts of electronic correspondence, photographs, videotape, testimony - in general, everything that can be used as evidence of extortion.

Of course, you can act on your own, but in that case there are no guarantees that there will be a government for the offender. It is better to trust professionals and seek advice from a law firm. Remember: blackmail is an article of the Criminal Code.