Image-Based Abuse Explained
Imagine having your face photo-shopped onto someone else’s naked body and it appearing in a pornographic film. Or an ex-partner sharing personal photos of you on the internet without your consent. These are real stories of image-based abuse which is prevalent in Australia. According to the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, about one in five Australians aged between 16-49 have experienced some form of image-based abuse, but it is more likely to happen to women aged between 18-24.
Image-based abuse is the sharing of images without obtaining the consent of the person pictured and it is also referred to as revenge porn or sextortion. But, it does not have to actually be shared – it can also include the threat of sharing an image online or with family or friends. This often happens in cases of domestic violence where the victim threatens to report an abuser, and the abuser, in turn, uses these images as a threat.
Some images could have been taken with permission, for example, images shared during an intimate relationship however, if those images are distributed without the consent of the owner or subject, this is image-based abuse. A perpetrator of image-based abuse could also steal an picture of a person and alter it to create a sexually explicit photograph or video. Sometimes personal details such as addresses and contact numbers are also shared online along with these images.
Whichever way it occurs, it is illegal. In NSW, SA, ACT and VIC, it is against the law to
- Record or capture images without permission
- Distribute intimate images without permission
- Threaten to record or distribute images without consent
Each state and territory is different, and offenders could find themselves paying a large fine or going to prison.
An online image-based abuse portal has been created to help Australians who have been through this trauma –by offering support and additional resources. If have experienced trauma as a victim of image-based abuse, contact Psylegal. We offer trauma counselling and the Medicare rebate if referred by a GP.
