REVENGE PORN: AUSTRALIA TACKLES THE NON-CONSENSUAL SHARING OF INTIMATE IMAGES

The Australian government announced the pilot for a new national portal for reporting instances of non-consensual sharing of intimate images (colloquially known as image-based abuse or revenge pornography).

According to the newly launched website www.esafety.gov.au

Image-based abuse (IBA) occurs when intimate, nude or sexual images are distributed without the consent of those pictured. This includes real, altered (e.g. Photoshopped) and drawn pictures and videos.

While most image-based abuse is about the sharing of images without consent, it can also include the threat of an image being shared.

Image-based abuse is also commonly referred to as ‘revenge porn’, ‘non-consensual sharing of intimate images’, or ‘intimate image abuse’. ‘Revenge porn’ is the term most commonly used in the media, but in many cases IBA is not about ‘revenge’, nor is it restricted to ‘porn’. IBA can occur for a range of motives and can include many kinds of images and video.

Examples of image-based abuse include:

Your current or ex-partner sharing an intimate image on social media without your consent.

A work colleague Photoshopping an image of you with an explicit image and sharing it broadly via email.

A stranger taking an intimate image without your consent, also known as ‘up-skirting’, or ‘down-blousing’ or ‘creepshots’, and sharing it on a website or porn site.

Image-based abuse can also be referred to as:

non-consensual porn, non-consensual sexual/ nude/ intimate image sharing, technology-facilitated violence, intimate image abuse, cyber exploitation, up-skirting/ down-blousing / creepshots

What are ‘revenge porn’ websites?

‘Revenge porn’ websites are typically online businesses that encourage users to upload nude or sexual images of others, often with information about the person in the images such as names, addresses and links to personal profiles. Victims may be forced to pay money to remove the images.

The most well-known revenge porn websites are hosted overseas and may not willingly take down images on request as they are deliberately exploitative.

Typically, what has to be in an image for it to be considered image-based abuse?

Image-based abuse is complex and diverse. It can include non-consensual sharing of a photograph, drawing or video that shows a person: engaged in sexual activity OR in a manner or context that is sexual OR nude OR showering or bathing OR where their breasts or genitals are visible OR where the image focuses on the genital, anal or breast region, including where they are covered in underwear, such as in ‘up-skirting’ and ‘down-blousing’.

This includes real photos, pictures that are digitally altered (e.g. ‘Photoshopped’ or similar), and drawn pictures and videos.

Image-based abuse can also include images altered to imply an identity of a person in any of the above descriptions. For instance, if a victim’s head is Photoshopped onto on a porn actor’s body and is shared without consent, this is image-based abuse.

It can also include the threat to share an image or video that fits any of the above descriptions.

Official Release:

NEW PORTAL TACKLES THE NON-CONSENSUAL SHARING OF INTIMATE IMAGES

15 October 2017

The Turnbull Government has welcomed the eSafety Commissioner’s announcement today about the delivery of the pilot for a new national portal for reporting instances of non-consensual sharing of intimate images (colloquially known as image-based abuse or revenge pornography).

In 2015 the Government committed $10 million to support victims of image-based abuse, including $4.8 million of funding for the eSafety Commissioner to develop and implement this national online complaints portal.

The pilot is the very first step in delivering this very important initiative. The portal will allow victims to report instances of image-based abuse and give them access to immediate and tangible support that has previously been unavailable.

In today’s digital environment, instances of image-based abuse are all too common with one in five women aged 18 to 45 and one in four Indigenous Australians experiencing abuse.

The online complaints portal is a world-first and empowers those who are experiencing this type of abuse with practical information and a range of resources to take control.

The pilot phase of the portal will evaluate the volume and complexity of the reports received before a formal launch of the portal in early 2018.

The Government is undertaking a range of initiatives in the area of online safety to help keep Australians safe on the internet. Earlier this year the Government expanded the scope of the Office of the eSafety Commissioner to help all Australians, not just children.

The Office of the eSafety Commissioner has already:

  • established a mechanism to report and remove harmful cyberbullying material on social media;
  • launched a dedicated website for women’s safety online;
  • launched the iParent portal providing parents and carers with advice on a range of online safety and digital content issues; and
  • in conjunction with the Department of Social Services pioneered a new website for improving digital literacy for older Australians, including a digital portal to provide a one-stop-shop for information, tools and training materials.

The Government is also considering the outcomes of recent consultations on a proposed civil penalty regime which will target perpetrators and sites which host intimate images and videos which have been shared without consent.

For more information about reporting the non-consensual sharing of intimate images visit www.esafety.gov.au/imagebasedabuse