Victims of intimate images shared online will have six times longer to come forward as amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill propose extending the current time limit from six months, to three years.
People who take or share intimate images without consent will be prosecuted up to three years after the event. As previously reported, the possessing or publishing depictions of strangulation or suffocation in porn is also to be criminalised after a campaign by Jessica Asato in the wake of the Independent Porn Review, conducted by Baroness Gabby Bertin, which identified dangerous sexual acts, including strangulation, have been normalised through pornography.
Possessing or publishing such images will criminalised with greater responsibility on social media and online platforms to stop wider sharing. The new amendment will mean criminals who take or share an intimate image without consent can be prosecuted at any time which is both within three years of the offence, and within six months of the prosecutor having sufficient evidence to prosecute.
Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones said:
“Online misogyny has devastating real-life consequences for all of us. Every day, women and girls have their lives turned upside down by cowards who hide behind screens to abuse and exploit them.
“This government will not stand by whilst women are violated online and victimised by violent pornography which is allowed to normalise harm.
“We are sending a strong message that dangerous and sexist behaviour will not be tolerated.”
The Independent Porn Review published in February of this year suggested dangerous sexual acts, particularly strangulation, have been normalised through pornography. Women’s charity Refuge say such violence is a ‘well-established predictor of future domestic homicide’ adding it has seen a near 10% increase in young women reporting strangulation or suffocation.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said tech companies also had a responsibility to stop the proliferation of images depicting strangulation.
“Viewing and sharing this kind of material online is not only deeply distressing, it is vile and dangerous. Those who post or promote such content are contributing to a culture of violence and abuse that has no place in our society.
“We’re also holding tech companies to account and making sure they stop this content before it can spread. We are determined to make sure women and girls can go online without fear of violence or exploitation.
“The depiction of strangulation in pornography will be designated as a priority offence under the Online Safety Act, meaning platforms will be held accountable and ensuring content does not spread, which can lead to normalising harmful practices in people’s private lives.
“They will be required to take proactive steps to prevent users from seeing illegal strangulation and suffocation content. This could include companies using automated systems to pre-emptively detect and hide the images, moderation tools or stricter content policies to prevent abusive content from circulating.”
