In today’s digital age, the phenomenon known as “revenge porn” has emerged as a distressing reality for many, especially victims of domestic abuse.
Also referred to as intimate image abuse or image-based sexual abuse, Revenge Porn is the sharing of private, sexual materials, either photos or videos, of another person without their consent and with the purpose of causing embarrassment or distress.
The images are sometimes accompanied by personal information about the subject, including their full name, address, and links to their social media profiles; this is commonly referred to as “doxing”.
Revenge porn is a tactic used by abusive partners or ex partners to coerce or exert control over their victim. Many victims of domestic abuse report experiencing intimate image abuse by their abusers.
What Constitutes Revenge Porn?
Revenge porn or intimate image abuse can include any or all the following:
- Sharing intimate images, either on or offline, without consent
- Threatening to share intimate images.
- Taking intimate images without the persons knowledge or consent.
Images can be photos or videos- that may have initially been taken with consent but then shared without consent to cause distress and harm.Many victims never consent to these images being taken; they are often obtained under duress as part of a wider pattern of abuse.
Prevalence and Mediums of Distribution
Despite societal taboos, a significant portion of the population engages in sharing intimate photos, unwittingly risking exposure to revenge porn. Perpetrators often upload such content to pornographic sites, social media groups dedicated to revenge porn, and even the dark web.
A study carried out by the Crown Prosecution Service in November 2022, found that in a random sample of revenge porn cases, 92% involved complaints from ex-partners. This highlights how revenge porn is also used as a tool to abuse victims of domestic abuse. Worryingly, the Crown Prosecution Service also found that many victims of intimate image abuse, also experienced stalking, and harassment.
Victims of domestic abuse can find that their images have been obtained through hacking of personal devices by their abusers and in some cases manipulated with deepfake technology to create deepfakes of the victim in pornographic material that is then shared.
Deepfake is when technology is used to manipulate media to replace one person’s likeness with another’s. This can be used to create “fake” intimate images of the victim that are then shared.
Consequences of Revenge Porn
Victims of revenge porn face profound psychological distress, including feelings of helplessness, shame, and in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts. The repercussions extend to stalking, harassment, extortion, and significant reputational damage, affecting personal and professional lives. Once images are shared, they can be very difficult to remove from the internet and wider social media, which adds to the distress and psychological harm of the victim.
Legal Landscape and Victim Support
Revenge Porn was made a specific offence under the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 saw this offence extended to include the threat to share intimate images. These acts now make it easier to prosecute both online and offline offences, including uploading images onto the internet, sharing by text and email, or showing someone a physical or electronic image.
Support for Victims
Revenge Porn- if you think you have experienced intimate image abuse or are a victim of revenge porn, you do not have to suffer in silence. There is support available that is practical, non-judgemental and allows you to make choices about what to do if you have been a victim.
You may not want to pursue a criminal justice route, but want to try and get the images removed from social media. You can speak to someone at the Revenge Porn Helpline for practical advice around the removal of images online. They can also advise steps to take if you do want to explore prosecution.
Call their helpline: 0345 6000 459, Email: helpline@revengepornhelpline.org.uk or use their anonymous reporting system whisper via the website: https://revengepornhelpline.org.uk/ Whisper allows you to report without sharing personal detail and get information and support through the Whisper chat function.
If you have experienced intimate image abuse or any other form of abuse within your intimate relationships and would like support, please contact us at The Em Foundation.
