IMAGE ABUSE AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
More than one in five young Australians have been affected by image-based abuse.
IT'S NOT JUST REVENGE PORN
Intimate partners or former partners account for only 39 per cent of female victims and 30 per cent of male victims.
"This isn't just about 'revenge porn' - images are being used to control, abuse and humiliate people in ways that go well beyond the 'relationship gone sour' scenario." - RMIT University's Dr Nicola Henry.
Revenge porn is the sharing of photos by partners or former partners without consent to humiliate the victim but "image-based abuse" can cover threats, other abuses and other kinds of perpetrators.
WHO IS AFFECTED?
RMIT and Monash universities surveyed almost 4300 Australians aged 16 to 49 and found image-based abuse is far more common than previously thought.
* Victims are equally likely to be women (22 per cent) or men (23 per cent).
* 56 per cent of people with a disability and 50 per cent of Indigenous Australians have been victims of image-based abuse.
* Victimisation is higher for lesbian, gay and bisexual Australians (36 per cent).
WHAT'S THE IMPACT?
* The majority of those experiencing "sextortion" - threats to share images - reported high levels of psychological distress, consistent with moderate to severe depression. Almost half feared for their safety.
* Depression and anxiety were also common with victims whose images were distributed or taken without consent.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?
Tips for victims are on esafety.gov.au:
* Report the abuse to authorities.
* Collect evidence such as screenshots and web addresses.
* Seek help and support from friends and counselling services.
* Create a positive digital reputation to help bury the content down the result of search engines.
Sources: esafety.gov.au, ABC, RMIT and Monash universities
