Teenagers and young people spend so much time online, it stands to reason there would be more opportunities for this kind of crime. That led me to another question: Is anyone tracking the number of sextortion cases reported in Wisconsin?
Intern Astrid Code took the assignment and ran with it. She tracked down law enforcement officials with the state Department of Justice, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office and more. The DOJ tracks the number of sextortion cases, and it nearly tripled from 2024 to 2025.
Those cases represent real people, and Wisconsin Watch is always looking for ways to explore solutions to the challenges our neighbors are going through. Several families whose children died by suicide after being sextorted have turned their grief into action: They publicly advocate for victim protections and educate students in northeast Wisconsin. Thank you to Jamie and Jared Weigelt and Jill Yindra for speaking to Astrid for the story.
And lastly, thanks to Hughes and Beck at Court Watch. They spend a lot of time and money (records are not cheap) sifting through federal court dockets in a world where too few journalists have the expertise or time to do so. Our story started because of their important work.
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters for original stories and our Friday news roundup.
An idea about profiling voters across Wisconsin turned into a multiyear project for Wisconsin Watch photojournalist Joe Timmerman – one focused on connection.
The Public Square series launched in November 2024 and so far includes 10 stories about regular Wisconsin residents working to build community in the towns and cities they call home.
“Instead of just focusing on politics, we really wanted to focus on community and where people were coming together,” Timmerman said.
Wisconsin Watch photojournalist Joe Timmerman shows the audience his Yashica medium format camera, which he used to make images for the Public Square series. (Coburn Dukehart / CatchLight)
To showcase the images and celebrate the project, Wisconsin Watch partnered with the city of Green Bay, the Astor Neighborhood Association, Catchlight Local and Report for America to host an outdoor photo exhibition on Saturday, June 6, at St. James Park in Green Bay. The display will be available for a short time at the park for community members to visit.
Roughly 45 people attended the event on Saturday, walking among the posters of images, reading summaries of the stories and listening to a panel discussion about the series. Timmerman moderated the event, asking questions of four northeastern Wisconsin residents who participated in Public Square.
Below, we recap the panel discussion, highlighting a few of the panelists’ answers for each question. Be sure to check out all 10 stories in the Public Square series, which included people who live across the state.
Anna Mykhailova, left, Sasha Druzhyna and their daughter, Varya, pose for a portrait next to their image at an event showcasing Wisconsin Watch’s Public Square series on June 6, 2026. The family traveled to St. James Park in Green Bay from their home in Madison to see the display. (Coburn Dukehart / CatchLight)
How do you think your story fits into Public Square?
The students and staff who keep the Pulaski News in print embody the mission of the series, said Madelyn Rybak, a recent Pulaski High School graduate who wrote for the Pulaski News.
“We really are the only major source of news in the village of Pulaski, so I think that through writing for the Pulaski News, we really do our part in ensuring that the community really knows their neighbor,” she said.
Ivy McGee, third from left, answers a question during the panel discussion. Pictured from left are moderator Joe Timmerman and panelists Madelyn Rybak, McGee, Paula Jolly and Laurie Doxtator. (Coburn Dukehart / CatchLight)
So too, does Third Space Green Bay, said co-founder Ivy McGee. The nonprofit organization aims to create an environment where people can make connections, particularly people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community who move to Green Bay.
“I was kind of naive to the fact that people that are coming into this community really don’t feel that connection, and it’s a hard community to kind of come into,” she said.
What was it like being interviewed and photographed for the series?
Paula Jolly, executive director and co-founder of Amanda’s House, said she usually isn’t comfortable doing interviews and being photographed by journalists. But with Timmerman, the experience was different.
“He took his time, and he cared, and it just really made it a lot easier,” Jolly said.
Part of it, she said, had to do with the equipment Timmerman chose to make the photographs. He used a twin-lens reflex camera circa 1950 and medium format film; it meant he had to take his time.
An attendee looks at the Public Square exhibition at St. James Park in Green Bay, Wis., on June 6, 2026. Roughly 45 community members attended the event. (Coburn Dukehart / CatchLight)
Timmerman visited each subject for Public Square multiple times and spent hours with them – talking to them, observing how they went about their days and seeing them inhabit their spaces.
The process allowed McGee and her co-creators to “slow down and take a breath.”
What was it like seeing your stories published?
A friend reached out to Laurie Doxtator after her photo appeared on the front page of a local newspaper (Wisconsin Watch allows media outlets to republish its stories free of charge). Timmerman met Doxtator when she was living at Amanda’s House. She allowed him to document her journey moving out of the sober living home.
“This was my story that I told,” Doxtator said.
Laurie Doxtator, left, poses for a photo with photojournalist Joe Timmerman next to the image of Doxtator that Timmerman made for the Public Square series. (Coburn Dukehart / CatchLight)
Similarly, Jolly said she sits for interviews to help community members better understand addiction, including how it affects people and their families.
However, she was surprised to hear from people outside northeast Wisconsin who saw the story.
“I didn’t realize it was going to the rest of the state,” she said. “Somebody from, I think, Milwaukee said, ‘Oh, I saw your article.’ I was like, ‘What? Really?’ It was kind of fun, but it also gets the word out in a wider area, so that’s important.”
Rybak spoke about the important role journalism plays in making people be seen and heard.
“It felt so nice to just have a spotlight shown and to know what I did mattered to people,” she said.
Joe Timmerman, left, stands with Ivy McGee by the portrait Timmerman made of McGee and her Third Space Green Bay co-creators for the Public Square series. (Coburn Dukehart / CatchLight)
Once the feature on Third Space Green Bay was published, McGee said she continued to follow the series.
“I was more connected to the community through the storytelling,” she said.
How have each of you, your organizations or your communities grown, changed or developed since the time these images were taken?
Since Doxtator moved out of Amanda’s House, she continued her sobriety and cut her hair.
“I’m still here and still growing,” she said. “Every day is a different day.”
A zine Joe Timmerman made as part of the exhibit sits on the grass at St. James Park in Green Bay, Wis., during an event on June 6, 2026. (Coburn Dukehart / CatchLight)
The Public Square feature on Amanda’s House “opened up a lot more opportunities for us, just getting the word out there and helping people,” Jolly said.
Third Space Green Bay now has a physical space, which the organization leases through The Art Garage. The co-creators are still looking for a permanent space to call their own.
“There’s so many reasons why Third Space Green Bay is important, and why it exists, and why we want to continue to be a space to offer folks to come and connect, or just be,” McGee said.
The organization also started “Third Thursdays with Third Space” – monthly, themed events designed to “build connection, promote collective well-being and celebrate the creativity and resilience of BIPOC and queer communities in Green Bay.”
Madelyn Rybak stands next to the image Joe Timmerman made of her for the Public Square series. (Coburn Dukehart / CatchLight)
As for the Pulaski News, the publication was featured in myriad news stories and received a $5,000 grant from the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation. Rybak said more students are interested in writing for the newspaper, as well.
“For a very small student-run publication like us, it (the donation) is huge,” Rybak said. “That was such a great feeling to know that my work was a tiny part of that, and I feel so grateful for the opportunity we had with Wisconsin Watch, just to get our word out there.”
The photo captions in this story were updated with the correct spelling of Madelyn Rybak’s name. Wisconsin Watch regrets the error.
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters for original stories and our Friday news roundup.
Women and girls find refuge from trafficking inside a nondescript building on Morrow Street in Green Bay.
They can attend support groups, eat a warm meal, take a shower, get new clothes or access community resources.
But whatever they do, it’s their choice.
“(Case management) is designed to make sure that every single woman and girl reaches independence. It’s their way. It’s on their terms,” said Carly McClure, operations director for HER Alliance. “We are just here to offer the support needed along that way to help them become the best version of themselves.”
The nonprofit organization formerly known as Awaken has served 251 women and girls since June 2022, according to the organization’s most recent Impact Report. In addition to directly supporting survivors, HER Alliance offers education sessions for the community about the dangers of human trafficking.
“The uphill battle that everybody is facing in this position is, first of all, societal stigma,” McClure said.
In 2025, the organization provided 4,908 units of service. A unit of service, for example, could be a meal, a call to the warmline or a referral to a community resource, among others, McClure said.
Art made by trafficking survivors is seen at HER Alliance on April 30, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten / Wisconsin Watch)
Community members in general tend to think trafficking starts with a stranger kidnapping someone, and while that does happen, it’s not common, McClure said.
“Trafficking begins with the grooming process. It’s happening to our children online more often than not now, and a trafficker is typically targeting someone that already trusts them,” she said. “So familial trafficking in Wisconsin is one of the highest forms of trafficking that we see.”
The intake process at HER Alliance happens in a quiet, private room with cozy furniture. The conversation is different for every person because needs vary, McClure said.
Generally, staff ask questions to learn if a person’s basic needs are being met:
Do they have safe housing?
Do they have access to food? Clothing?
Are they employed?
Are they in school?
Each person decides what support – if any – the person wants from HER Alliance, McClure said. Staff can connect people to community organizations to meet their specific needs, though local nonprofits also refer people to HER Alliance.
The Brown County Jail refers many clients. HER Alliance has a full-time outreach case manager who spends most of her time working with women and girls at the jail, McClure said.
Varying degrees of help
The organization operates what it calls a warmline – a 24/7 phone line staffed by a HER Alliance case manager. An important distinction, McClure said: The warmline is not a crisis line.
“The warmline is available for people to call if they need (nonemergency) help, or if they’re already in contact with us and have already had an intake (session) – that number is for their use,” she said.
Some people call the warmline just once, seeking advice or resources.
The programming area at HER Alliance, seen on April 30, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis., includes cozy furniture and homey touches meant to help trafficking survivors feel welcome in the space. (Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten / Wisconsin Watch)
Others seek additional help. HER Alliance offers weekly peer-to-peer support groups in a space that looks like a living room. There are couches, comfortable chairs, a TV, plants, a bookshelf and more.
Clients can schedule one-on-one appointments with a case manager, or drop in during designated hours depending on their needs.
A small kitchenette with a coffee station, a toaster oven and a refrigerator sits in the back of the building. Volunteers supply meals weekly, and frozen meals are always available.
Clients can take a shower in one of the facility’s two restrooms, or “shop” a small boutique filled with gently used clothing, outerwear and shoes. Women and girls who complete an intake session and receive services get a punch card to shop the boutique, McClure said.
“So if they have an interview coming up, or they’re going to school, or they just need new clothes, or they need new shoes, this is available to them throughout the year,” she said.
Getting involved
Carmen Van Schyndel first learned about HER Alliance in 2024, during a TAT Freedom Drivers Project event co-hosted by her employer, Breakthrough. She remembers walking through an exhibit in a semi-trailer focused on the stories of trafficking survivors and their experiences.
Prior to that, Van Schyndel thought human trafficking was something that happened in big cities like Chicago, not around Green Bay.
But the experience “hit home,” she said.
Art made by trafficking survivors is seen at HER Alliance in Green Bay, Wis., on April 30, 2026. (Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten / Wisconsin Watch)
Van Schyndel spoke with HER Alliance staff at the event and started learning more. She joined the organization’s Advisory Board and later its Board of Directors. She now serves as the board secretary.
She hopes to one day measure success by seeing the number of people HER Alliance serves decline. That will be a signal that the organization’s education, advocacy and community outreach efforts are making a difference.
“There’s still a need. There are still people that are not getting help who need it,” Van Schyndel said. “We still need to grow, but I think over time, as we really watch those numbers, I hope that those numbers go down, and those will be really good signs we’re making an impact in the community.”
What’s next?
HER Alliance acquired space next to its office in 2025, and it has big plans for it, McClure said.
The programming area that looks like a living room will move as a result of the expansion, and McClure said they plan to add a full kitchen with an oven – an upgrade from the kitchenette and the toaster oven they currently use.
“Now we’re kind of waiting on some grants to finish developing this space,” she said.
Find resources
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact HER Alliance:
Want to raise awareness about human trafficking, volunteer your time or donate to HER Alliance? Here’s how:
HER Alliance holds education sessions on human trafficking throughout the year, though they take a break in the summer. Email info@heralliance.org to learn when the sessions will start in the fall, or keep an eye on the HER Alliance events calendar.
This story is part of Community at Work, an ongoing feature series focused on community organizations that make a difference in northeast Wisconsin. Who should we feature next? Email jzvandenhouten@wisconsinwatch.org.
Wisconsin Watch reporters have to fill out a pitch form for every story. Yes, you read that right – they have to do paperwork.
The process means they have to do some reporting in advance to make sure the idea is solid, to see if other outlets have reported on the topic and, if so, to determine what will make their story different.
The goal is for them to have a strong idea about what the story is and who the story is for before they dive in too far.
Generally, our reporters aren’t covering school board or city council meetings like daily beat reporters. Wisconsin Watch focuses on investigative, enterprise and solutions journalism. Our reporters are looking for trends, sifting through reader tips and finding inspiration in their daily lives.
Miranda Dunlap pitched a story about a Green Bay group that produces a historical podcast about its neighborhood. Do you know where she got the idea? She spotted a QR code advertising the podcast while taking a walk.
Our journalism strives to live out our mission: using journalism to make Wisconsin communities strong, informed and connected. Every time I read a pitch, I ask myself, “How does this story fit our mission?”
There are myriad stories we could be chasing, but they’re not all worth our time. The pitch form helps reporters and editors keep our mission in mind and answer key questions before we spend too much energy reporting and editing a story that doesn’t serve our readers.
Journalists most often cover a specific area – or beat.
When I started in the industry, newsrooms typically had the following:
One or two local government reporters – one for county board, one for city hall.
An education reporter (like me!).
A few prep sports reporters.
A features reporter.
A few photojournalists.
A courts reporter.
A general assignment reporter.
Today’s newsrooms employ fewer journalists, which means reporters at daily publications often cover multiple beats.
Analytics have changed how we measure success for our work, and with it, some beats have shifted altogether.
I see more environmental coverage now than I did 15 years ago, which reflects growing interest from readers in that area.
Traditional outdoors coverage – what some call “bullets and hooks” reporting because of its focus on hunting and fishing – seems to be declining. Meanwhile, coverage of outdoor silent sports like biking, hiking and kayaking has grown.
Here at Wisconsin Watch, our beats are guided by our mission and values. Our journalists cover:
Investigative journalism is in our DNA, and our reporters are some of the best at it. They also report enterprise stories and solutions journalism.
Enterprise stories go deeper than something I would have covered as a daily education reporter. Think less about turn-of-the-screw school board coverage and more on trends emerging across the area or state.
Solutions journalism is rigorous, evidence-based reporting on responses to social problems. Every solutions story covers four pillars: a response to the problem, evidence that it works (or not), insights and limitations.
These kinds of journalism, especially investigations, tend to take more time to produce and are therefore more expensive.
But you can support journalism that makes a difference in the community. Subscribe to your local news outlet or contribute to Wisconsin Watch.
For Brown County Circuit Court Judge Marc Hammer, it’s freedom of information, and it was the topic of discussion at a Philosopher’s Cafe event co-hosted by the Mauthe Center and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay a few weeks ago.
Hammer, who also teaches constitutional law at UWGB, led the conversation. I was one of about 25 people total and one of three working journalists in attendance (shoutout to Jesse Lin of the Green Bay Press Gazette and Andrew Kennard of the Wisconsin Examiner).
We covered a lot of ground:
Historical attempts to limit information.
Who is “the press”?
Retractions vs. corrections.
Fact-checking.
Bias in media.
Public broadcasting funding.
Defamation.
Local news.
Social media sites like Facebook and TikTok.
The hyperpolarized times we’re living in.
I jumped in when retractions came up. Throughout the rest of the conversation, Lin, Kennard and I answered questions from community members about our jobs and explained how we do our work.
One thing I appreciate about events at the Mauthe Center is how respectful and civil the discussion is. People hold different opinions. They listen to each other. They ask thoughtful follow-up questions. They attend these events, from what I saw, to learn something new.
I did, too. And it was clear to me that community members want to learn more about newsgathering and reporting.
What do you want to know about journalism?
Should I write about our rigorous fact-checking process?
Do you want to know how Wisconsin Watch reporters and editors decide to pursue stories?
Wisconsin Watch was founded 17 years ago to fill a gap in statewide investigative reporting as newsrooms cut back on that work. Since then, those gaps have only widened — especially in local communities. That’s led us to expand: joining forces with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and now launching our northeast Wisconsin bureau, because the region deserves strong, independent journalism and a newsroom that listens as much as it reports.
This is home.
I started as Wisconsin Watch’s northeast Wisconsin editor in August, joining Jessica Adams, director of partnerships for northeast Wisconsin, and Miranda Dunlap, our northeast Wisconsin pathways to success reporter. Since then, I’ve had the chance to reacquaint myself with my native Door County and the surrounding region.
From big cities like Appleton and Green Bay to small rural communities, people are asking for clearer information about the systems that affect daily life, along with coverage that connects problems to action. We know that because northeast Wisconsin residents have said so in listening sessions and conversations across the region.
Mental health access, housing and homelessness continue to rise to the top, alongside confusion about how local government works and how residents can get involved. Many residents have asked for reporting that explains budgets, decision-making and available programs in plain terms, while also reflecting the experiences of communities that are often overlooked.
There is also strong interest in news that builds connection, corrects misinformation and highlights both accountability and everyday efforts that make a difference.
That’s what we aim to deliver through Northeast News — a newsletter shaped by and for the people who live here. Launched this week, it’s the first product of our regional bureau, built around community connection, accountability and public participation.
Delivered every other week to start, subscribers will get more than headlines. They will receive reporting that explains how local decisions affect daily life, investigates powerful institutions, and highlights the people and ideas moving this region forward. Subscribers also get a direct line to the newsroom — to share questions, tips and story ideas that help guide the work.
More than 110 northeast Wisconsin residents helped name the newsletter. Northeast News prevailed over options that included The NEWsletter, NEWsflash, Northeast Dispatch and NEW Notes.
Residents submitted creative write-ins, too — from The Weekly Cheddar to Northeastern Exposure.
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