Some of you may have been taught at schools not to share sexual/nude images as it was technically child pornography. But what do you know about sharing sexual/nude images now you’re an adult? I’m sure you’re aware that sending nudes has become more prevalent due to technological advancements, the changing ways we communicate and form relationships, an increasingly more sex positive society and yes, even the pandemic. As adults we can consent to take and share these types of images of ourselves to whoever we choose. This can be a fun and positive experience for many to explore their sexuality, relationships with others and themselves. However, the rise of consensual sexting/sharing nudes has also been met with an increase in the number of people having their nude/sexual images taken or shared without their consent.
So why am I writing this article?
- To move away from the victim-blaming and shaming narrative you may have had at school of ‘don’t share nudes’.
- To challenge assumptions and stereotypes around who it happens to, who perpetrates it and common ‘justifications’ for doing so.
- To increase peoples’ understanding of the current law and raise awareness of what support is available.
Firstly though, let’s briefly explore some motives for sharing these images without consent. There are many reasons people share images non-consensually. This could include malicious motives such as blackmail, harassment, to harm, humiliate or cause distress or gain control or power over someone. This led to the media-generated term of ‘revenge porn’. However, this doesn’t capture all motives such as sexual gratification, financial (sextortion) and more commonly, social motives e.g. gaining approval, social bonding, sharing images as a joke/banter or to show off to friends (e.g. look who I hooked up with). Regardless of the reason for sharing someone else’s images non-consensually, the person who experiences this can be deeply impacted. Many people report feeling violated, embarrassed, ashamed, and humiliated with some experiencing significant psychological and social consequences such as reputational harm, loss of employment, loss of trust in others, self-harm and even suicide. As such, many advocates and academics reject the term revenge pornography for more inclusive terminology that reflects the diverse motives and the harm experienced such as ‘image-based sexual abuse’ and ‘intimate image abuse’ (Maddocks, 2018).
So let’s explore six assumptions around the non-consensual sharing of sexual/nude images.
1) “If you didn’t send nudes in the first place, it wouldn’t have happened”
Many people have sexual/nude images shared of them even when they did not take the images themselves. Some people have intimate photos taken non-consensually e.g. unknowingly filmed during sexual acts, in private places (e.g. bathrooms, changing rooms or hotels), whilst otherwise compromised (e.g. asleep, drunk or unconscious) or may experience acts such as upskirting or downblousing. Others may have their images hacked or their cameras remotely accessed. Deepfakes are also becoming more common and more realistic. This is where two images are manipulated by artificially imposing a photo of someone’s face onto, an often, pornographic image. These can be very realistic and almost indistinguishable from real photos to the average person. Even with nude selfies, some people are coerced or forced to take them in the first place. So yes, consensual sexting can result in experiencing this, however the reality is that anyone, regardless of their own sexting behaviours, can have their sexual/nude images shared. I don’t say this to cause panic, but it is important to acknowledge and be aware of the different ways these images can be generated to help reduce assumptions or blame anyone who experiences this. Even in the instances where an individual takes these images themselves consensually, it is the perpetrator who has violated that trust by sharing them beyond their intended purpose, not the victim’s fault. Think of it like giving your car to a mechanic for an MOT. Contextually, you’ve trusted that mechanic to use the car for an intended purpose (to check your car), you’ve not given them consent to drive your car to wherever they please and if they did, you’d be outraged. Likewise, someone may trust another person with their images within a given context (e.g. relationship), but it doesn’t mean they intended for others to see them.
2) “It’s something men do to women after a relationship breakdown”
Anyone can perpetrate or experience having their nude/sexual images shared non-consensually regardless of their gender, sexuality, relationship status, age, religion, ethnicity etc. Although this can often occur in/after a sexual or romantic relationship (including casual and long term), hopefully by now you are seeing it can happen outside these contexts too. Perpetrators can be friends, co-workers, acquaintances, strangers and even family. For example, guys may non-consensually share nude images of their male friends as a joke/banter. Despite the ‘humorous intent’, it can be a distressing experience that they feel unable to challenge or get support for because male nudity is seen as funny or light-hearted. Women may also share nude images of other women as a form of bullying or harassment of other women. For example, women have created fake accounts posing as men to coax other women into sharing nudes and then shaming them for doing so. And yes, women also share nude images of men for vengeful motives as well as a joke/to ridicule. Additionally, preliminary statistics show men experience having their images shared without consent at similar rates to women (Powell et al., 2022; Walker et al., 2021). It’s important to challenge these gendered and contextual assumptions so we hold all perpetrators accountable regardless of motive as well as recognise and validate anyone who experiences it.
3) “But they should be proud of their body”
When some perpetrators are challenged for sharing nude images non-consensually, they can provide a defensive response e.g. “you should be proud of your body”. Sexual entitlement and lack of consent are not the same as body or sex positivity. Who sees someone’s body is a personal choice made by that person. So don’t remove someone’s autonomy, under the guise of body positivity. The violation people report often comes from the betrayal from someone they trusted sharing their images so sharing them for these reasons can still cause significant harm.
4) “But they didn’t say I couldn’t show them to my friends”
Think back to the example of a mechanic. You don’t tell your mechanic explicitly that they can’t take your car for a drive, but you assume they will not based on the context. The same applies to sexual behaviour. Someone may give consent to have sex with you but you would not assume that would mean they want to have sex with your friends too. Consent applies to all sexual behaviour and context. If you receive sexual/nude images consensually from someone, it is often contextually assumed that these images are private even if it’s not explicitly stated. This doesn’t mean they are intended for others to see them. So be respectful. Don’t show others unless you have explicit consent from the person in them.
5) “It’s only wrong if I post them online”
It is never ok to share sexual/nude images of someone without their consent. It doesn’t matter if it’s on a public online platform, within a private group chat or even if you just show a friend a photo on your phone without sending it. Just showing people your phone can still be a violating experience.
6) “It’s only harmful if they find out/know I’ve shared images”
Firstly, you can never guarantee the person won’t find out. Many people who experience this find out through other people rather than necessarily seeing the images first-hand. Even in instances where the victim doesn’t find out, that does not make it ok or mean they cannot be impacted. People can talk, and rumours can spread, which can still cause harm even without the images being seen by the person.
So what is the current law?
In the UK it is currently illegal for someone to just threaten to send sexual/nude images without consent, even if they don’t have access to the images. It is illegal for someone to share sexual, nude or intimate images without consent when the person doing so intends to cause distress. A person who is convicted of doing so can receive up to 2 years in prison. Although it is currently only a crime when images are shared to cause distress, this may be changing to include all motives. In 2022 the Law Commissioner recommended creating a new base offence which would cover sharing sexual, nude or intimate images without consent regardless of intent/motive. This recommendation could result in anyone who shares sexual/nude images non-consensually receiving up to 6 months in prison, with tougher sentences of 2-3 years for those who share with malicious intent. Finally, it is also illegal to take private images of someone without their consent (e.g. secretly filming them during sexual acts, in private spaces, upskirting/downblousing etc.) which is a sexual offence.
What to do if you or someone you know experiences it
How people feel when they have intimate images shared non-consensually varies person-to-person. For some they may feel able to cope with it whereas others may feel overwhelmed by the experience. But it is possible to move on from this and many people do successfully. Despite how isolating it can feel, you are not alone and support is available. If you experience this you can get support here including practical step-by-step guides on removing images, assistance getting images removed and legal advice. Alternatively, you can get support through the university here.
So what to take from this?
- Anyone can perpetrate or experience this. Avoid making assumptions about what this experience looks like and how it may feel to those who experience it. If someone experiences this, ask how they feel first and let them decide how they want to respond.
- It is never ok to take or share sexual or nude images without consent. If you receive a sexual/nude image consensually from someone, assume it is private and for your eyes only unless you are given explicit consent.
- Consent online is all verbal/textual so practice active consent: e.g. ask for permission to save sexual/nude images to your phone or if you wish to show someone else, ask the person in the images if they are ok for someone to see it before sharing it. Some people may be ok and consent to it. If asking that question sounds weird, then maybe that’s because you know they’d not be ok with it, so perhaps you have your answer: don’t share/show others.
- Don’t be a passive bystander. If someone tries to show you or a group of people a sexual/nude image of someone and you suspect that person hasn’t consented, challenge their behaviour. Encourage them to think whether the person in the images would be ok with their image being shown and let them know that sharing it could be a crime. Remember your consent is also important here! If you do not wish to see these types of images you can also say no.
- If someone shares intimate images of you without your consent, you are not alone and you can get support here.
- The law may be changing to help give victims more protection regardless of why images were shared so make sure your behaviour is in line with it.
About the author
Georgina Mclocklin is an Academic Associate within NTU Psychology. She is currently conducting her PhD on image-based sexual abuse and help-seeking decisions to improve support for those who experience it. If you are an NTU student who has had your nude/sexual images shared non-consensually and are interested in participating in her research, you can find out more here. In addition to her research and teaching Georgina is actively involved in the Psychology community initiative and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Sexual Consent and Safety group.
References
Maddocks, S. (2018). From non-consensual pornography to image-based sexual abuse: Charting the course of a problem with many names. Australian Feminist Studies, 33(97), 345-361. https://doi.org/10.1080/08164649.2018.1542592
Powell, A., Scott, A. J., Flynn, A., & McCook, S. (2022). A multi-country study of image-based sexual abuse: extent, relational nature and correlates of victimisation experiences. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2022.2119292
Walker, K., Sleath, E., Hatcher, R. M., Hine, B., & Crookes, R. L. (2021). Nonconsensual sharing of private sexually explicit media among university students. Journal of interpersonal violence, 36(17-18), NP9078–NP9108.. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519853414
Psychology at Nottingham Trent University 