Image-based sexual abuse (sometimes referred to as ‘revenge porn’) is a criminal offence.
It’s when is when someone shares sexually explicit images or videos of another person without their consent, and with the aim of causing them distress or harm. It refers to materials that are shared both online and offline, and includes uploading images to the internet and social media channels, sharing by text and email, and showing someone a physical or electronic image or video.
Anyone can be affected by image-based sexual abuse, but the perpetrator will often be an ex-partner or person known to you. Image-based sexual abuse is a violation of privacy and people who have been targeted often feel humiliated, angry or depressed. You might feel too ashamed or embarrassed to report the crime to the police, but if you’ve experienced image-based sexual abuse it’s important to remember that you’re not to blame – only the offender is responsible for this crime taking place.