Revenge porn: Jail terms for sharing intimate images without consent - even if no intent to cause distress

People caught sharing intimate images without consent could face jail time under new laws.

Amendments to the Online Safety Bill will introduce a prison term of up to six months for ex-partners who share so-called ‘revenge porn’ without consent, even if there is no proof they meant to cause distress or humiliation to their victims.

If intent to cause distress, humiliate or gain sexual gratification is proven, this could rise to a two-year jail term and see perpetrators put on the sex offenders’ register.

Revenge porn was criminalised in 2015, but until now offenders faced no punishment if there was no evidence the intimate photos or videos were intentionally shared to cause harm.

TV personality Georgia Harrison, whose ex-partner Stephen Bear was jailed earlier this year for posting intimate footage of her on his OnlyFans account, was among those to call for a change to legislation. It follows a review by the Law Commission which also recommended reforming measures protecting against intimate image abuse.

Bear, 33, was jailed for 21 months in March for sharing a private video – captured on CCTV – of him having sex with Ms Harrison on his OnlyFans website without her consent. Following the trial, she said activism is now an “extremely important” part of her life.

Commenting on the law changes on Tuesday (27 June), Ms Harrison said: “The reforms to the law that has been passed today are going to go down in history as a turning point for generations to come and will bring peace of mind to so many victims who have reached out to me whilst also giving future victim’s the justice they deserve.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who supported me throughout this campaign and it just goes to show how amazing our country is that the government have reacted so quickly to push through these amendments.”

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said: “We are cracking down on abusers who share or manipulate intimate photos in order to hound or humiliate women and girls. Our changes will give police and prosecutors the powers they need to bring these cowards to justice, safeguarding women and girls from such vile abuse.”

The legislative changes will also deliver on government plans announced last year to ban the sharing of deepfake pornography – explicit images or videos that have been digitally manipulated to look like someone else – without the consent of those depicted.

Refuge chief executive Ruth Davison welcomed the amendments amid “woefully low” conviction rates for intimate image abuse. She said: “At Refuge, we know that conviction rates for intimate image abuse remain woefully low. The amendments to the Online Safety Bill announced today will make it easier to prosecute perpetrators of intimate image abuse, ensuring justice and better protections for survivors.”

Meanwhile, the NSPCC, which has argued tougher measures should be added to the Bill to protect women and children from harmful behaviour online, said “more needs to be done”.

Rani Govender, senior child safety online policy officer at the charity, welcomed the move to bolster protection against intimate image abuse, but added: “More needs to be done if the Online Safety Bill is to tackle the creation and sharing of child sexual abuse material which takes place on industrial levels.

“The government should act today by closing a loophole in the legislation that will let tech bosses off the hook if they fail to address the way their products contribute to child sexual abuse.”