Consent & boundaries

Image-based abuse

AlsoNCIInon-consensual intimate image sharingrevenge pornintimate image abuseleaked nudesimage abuse

Definition

Image-based abuse is creating, sharing or threatening to share intimate images or videos of someone without their consent.

At a glance

  • Creating, sharing or threatening to share intimate images without consent.
  • It includes secretly recorded images and AI-generated fake images.
  • The term is preferred to "revenge porn", which blames the victim.
  • Many countries now treat it as a crime.
  • Services such as StopNCII and specialist helplines can help remove or block images.

In detail

The popular term "revenge porn" is widely discouraged because it suggests the victim did something to deserve revenge and frames abuse as pornography. Image-based abuse also covers secretly recorded images and digitally altered or AI-generated fake intimate images, sometimes called deepfakes.

Many countries now treat sharing intimate images without consent as a crime. Services such as StopNCII can help people block known images from being shared on participating platforms, and specialist helplines can assist with getting content removed.

In a sentence

  • Experts prefer the term image-based abuse because "revenge porn" suggests the victim deserved it.
  • A helpline for image-based abuse helped her get the photos taken down.

Where the word comes from

The term was proposed by legal scholars, notably Clare McGlynn and Erika Rackley, in the mid-2010s as a more accurate alternative to "revenge porn".

Not to be confused with

  • Sexting

    Consensual sexting between adults is not abuse; the abuse lies in sharing or threatening without consent.

Common questions

Why not say "revenge porn"?

"Revenge" suggests the victim did something to deserve it, and "porn" frames abuse as entertainment. Image-based abuse names what it is: sharing or threatening to share images without consent.

What can I do if someone shared intimate images of me?

It is not your fault. Save evidence such as links and screenshots, report the content to the platform, and contact a specialist helpline or a service such as StopNCII, which can help block known images on participating platforms. You may also be able to report it to police.

Related terms

Sources

  1. StopNCIIStopNCII.org
  2. Revenge Porn Helpline (UK)Revenge Porn Helpline