HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania is creating the criminal offense of sexual extortion to help combat what authorities say is a growing crime targeting children, enabled by the internet.

The legislation signed Wednesday by Gov. Tom Wolf takes effect in two months and had the backing of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape and the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association.

Since 2016, 10 other states have expressly criminalized sexual extortion, they say.

The new state law makes sexual extortion a third-degree felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison.