Sharing or threatening to share an intimate image without consent is a form of abuse for which there are no excuses. It is also now a crime.
‘Intimate Image Abuse’ has replaced previously used inappropriate terms to describe posting an intimate image online or the sharing it by any other means, without the consent of the person in the image. An intimate image is any type of image of a person who is naked or engaged in a sexual act. It also includes any image claiming to be of an intimate part of a person’s body or an image of underwear covering that part of their body.
It doesn’t matter if the person in the image willingly took it and sent it to someone they trusted, if it is then shared with others without their consent, a criminal offence has taken place. It can also refer to a picture taken or content recorded without the knowledge of the person in the image.
Coco’s Law, otherwise known as The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act, provides for two new offences dealing with the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.
It criminalises the sharing of, or threatening to share, intimate images of a person without their consent with or without intent to cause harm to the victim. The penalties – up to seven years in prison and an unlimited fine - are high to reflect the seriousness of the offences and the damage and hurt they cause.
The law also makes it an offence to send an intimate image purporting or claiming to be of another person even if the image is not actually of them. This is often referred to as a ‘deep fake’.
If someone has posted an intimate image of you, or an image they claim to be of you, without your consent, you can now report it to Hotline.ie. Hotline.ie will work with Internet Service Providers to get it removed as quickly as possible. As this is now a criminal offence, Hotline will also notify An Garda Síochána immediately to begin the process of a criminal investigation where this is necessary. You can also get support from professionals who can help you come to terms with what has happened.
If an image of you has been posted online or shared in message groups without your consent, you can report it to Hotline.ie. Hotline works with all the major internet service providers in Ireland, as well as a network of international partners, and has been successfully getting illegal material online removed from various platforms for over 20 years.
Reports can be made to Hotline anonymously or by manually opting-in to make a non-anonymous report submission.
Reporting is done by going to Hotline.ie/report, clicking on ‘Intimate Image Abuse’ and filling out a simple form. Every report is treated as confidential and it only takes a couple of minutes.
For more information on this process, please go to https://www.hotline.ie/what-to-report/iia/faq.
Hotline work very closely with An Garda Síochána, particularly with the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau. As soon as Hotline come across illegal material that falls under their remit they immediately notify An Garda Síochána.
It is of course open to anyone to make a report directly to the Gardaí.
There is now a Divisional Protective Services Unit (DPSU) established in every Garda division across the country. This ensures that people who are subjected to crime of a sexual nature, such as the sharing of an intimate image without their consent, they will be dealt with by trained officers who will provide a consistently high standard of specialist, sensitive, professional and expert assistance.
A report of Intimate Image Abuse can be made in any Garda Station. To find your local station, please go to https://www.garda.ie/en/contact-us/station-directory.
For more information on how to report a crime, please go to https://www.victimscharter.ie/support-reporting/an-garda-siochana.
Sharing an intimate image of someone without their consent is a form of sexual violence. It is also often a feature of domestic abuse, used to hurt or control by an intimate or ex-intimate partner.
There are many services around Ireland who provide support to people who have been a victim of sexual violence and/or domestic abuse, including Intimate Image Abuse.
To find out contact details for Sexual Violence Support Services, contact the National Sexual Violence Helpline on 1800 778 888 or go to https://www.victimscharter.ie/support-reporting/victims-service-directory/sexual-violence-support-services.
To find out contact details for Domestic Abuse Support Services, contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 1800 341 900 or go to https://www.victimscharter.ie/support-reporting/victims-service-directory/domestic-violence-support-services.
Male Victims of Domestic Abuse can contact the Male Domestic Abuse Advice Helpline on 1800 816 588 or Men’s Aid Ireland on 01 554 3811.
If you are currently in an abusive relationship, you can find help and information by going to the Still Here Campaign Website.
You also need to be aware that computers and personal devices (smartphones and tablets) record everything you do on them and on the Internet and so your abuser might have access to that information.
To learn how to cover your tracks and to stay safe online, please go to https://www.stillhere.ie/digital-and-online-safety.