{"id":3416,"date":"2025-08-06T08:59:59","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T08:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sntnetwork.org.uk\/DV\/?page_id=3416"},"modified":"2026-10-12T13:20:56","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T13:20:56","slug":"image-based-abuse","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sntnetwork.org.uk\/DV\/image-based-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Image-Based Abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Your body. Your consent. Always.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Image-based abuse\u2014often referred to as “revenge porn”\u2014is the sharing or threat of sharing intimate images or videos of someone without their consent. It is a serious violation of privacy, trust, and autonomy, and it can cause deep emotional harm and long-term trauma.<\/span><\/p>

This abuse is never the victim\u2019s fault. No one ever \u201casks for it\u201d by sharing a photo in confidence.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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What Is Image-Based Abuse?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Image-based abuse includes:<\/span><\/p>

  • Sharing intimate images or videos without consent<\/b><\/li>
  • Threatening to post intimate images to control, shame, or silence you<\/b><\/li>
  • Uploading or sending images to others as a form of punishment or humiliation<\/b><\/li>
  • Using fake accounts to distribute or impersonate you online<\/b><\/li>
  • Secretly filming sexual activity, including during consensual sex<\/b><\/li>
  • Coercing someone to send nude or sexual images (\u201csextortion\u201d)<\/b><\/li><\/ul>

    This type of abuse can happen in romantic relationships, friendships, after breakups, or by strangers online.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    What the Law Says (UK)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    In the UK, it is a <\/span>criminal offence<\/b> under the <\/span>Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015<\/b> to:<\/span><\/p>

    • Disclose private sexual images of someone without their consent and with the intent to cause distress<\/span><\/li><\/ul>

      In 2021, laws were expanded to include:<\/span><\/p>

      • Threats to share intimate images<\/b> even if the image is never posted<\/span><\/li>
      • Deepfakes and digitally altered sexual images<\/b><\/li><\/ul>

        You can report image-based abuse to the police, and there are services that can help remove content and protect your privacy.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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        Common Tactics and Red Flags<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Image-based abuse is often used as a form of <\/span>coercive control<\/b>, especially in abusive relationships. Abusers may:<\/span><\/p>

        • Demand nude photos or videos and then use them to manipulate or control you<\/span><\/li>
        • Say things like \u201cIf you leave me, I\u2019ll send these to your parents\u201d<\/span><\/li>
        • Post explicit photos to \u201cpunish\u201d you after a breakup<\/span><\/li>
        • Share content with peers to humiliate or isolate you<\/span><\/li>
        • Use explicit images to blackmail you for money or sex<\/span><\/li><\/ul>

          \u201cHe said if I didn\u2019t do what he asked, he\u2019d leak everything to my job and family. I was terrified until I got help.\u201d<\/span>
          <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>Hannah, survivor of image-based abuse<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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          The Impact of Image-Based Abuse<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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          Survivors often experience:<\/span><\/p>

          • Anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts<\/span><\/li>
          • Fear of judgement, shame, or blame<\/span><\/li>
          • Isolation from friends, family, or work<\/span><\/li>
          • Long-term distrust in relationships<\/span><\/li>
          • Damage to reputation, career, or education<\/span><\/li>
          • Online harassment or bullying<\/span><\/li><\/ul>

            It\u2019s important to remember: <\/span>You did nothing wrong.<\/b> The shame belongs to the perpetrator, not the survivor.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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            What You Can Do<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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            If someone has shared or threatened to share intimate images of you:<\/span><\/p>

            1. Save evidence<\/b> \u2013 Screenshots, messages, links, usernames<\/span><\/li>
            2. Do not engage<\/b> \u2013 Block the abuser if possible<\/span><\/li>
            3. Report the abuse<\/b> \u2013 To police or trusted safeguarding contacts<\/span><\/li>
            4. Contact legal or specialist support<\/b> \u2013 Many services offer help with takedown requests and emotional support<\/span><\/li>
            5. Reach out<\/b> \u2013 Speak to someone you trust. You don\u2019t have to go through this alone<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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              Support Services<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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              We can support you to:<\/span><\/p>

              • Report image-based abuse safely<\/span><\/li>
              • Remove intimate content from websites or social media<\/span><\/li>
              • Access emotional and mental health support<\/span><\/li>
              • Understand your legal rights and options<\/span><\/li>
              • Protect your digital safety and privacy<\/span><\/li><\/ul>

                If you are in immediate danger, call 999.<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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                Tips for Digital Safety<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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                • Use <\/span>two-factor authentication<\/b> on all devices and accounts<\/span><\/li>
                • Set your social media profiles to <\/span>private<\/b><\/li>
                • Avoid storing intimate images in shared cloud services<\/span><\/li>
                • Use a <\/span>trusted friend\u2019s contact<\/b> for sensitive messages<\/span><\/li>
                • Be wary of pressure or coercion to \u201cprove\u201d trust with photos<\/span><\/li><\/ul>

                  You have the right to control your body and your image\u2014<\/span>online and offline<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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                  For Parents, Educators, and Professionals<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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                  We offer training and resources to help schools, youth workers, and safeguarding teams:<\/span><\/p>

                  • Understand image-based abuse and online exploitation<\/span><\/li>
                  • Respond safely and without blame<\/span><\/li>
                  • Support young people affected by peer-to-peer sharing or sextortion<\/span><\/li>
                  • Promote healthy digital relationships and consent education<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    Your body. Your consent. Always. Image-based abuse\u2014often referred to as “revenge porn”\u2014is the sharing or threat of sharing intimate images or videos of someone without their consent. It is a serious violation of privacy, trust, and autonomy, and it can cause deep emotional harm and long-term trauma. This abuse is never the victim\u2019s fault. No […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3416","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sntnetwork.org.uk\/DV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sntnetwork.org.uk\/DV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sntnetwork.org.uk\/DV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sntnetwork.org.uk\/DV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sntnetwork.org.uk\/DV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3416"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sntnetwork.org.uk\/DV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3416\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sntnetwork.org.uk\/DV\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}