Image-based abuse — prevalence and pathways
How common is image-based abuse?
- Image-based abuse affects a wide range of Australians
- 11% of Australians 18+ have had a nude or sexual photo/video posted online or sent on without their consent
How do different groups compare?
- 25% Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent
- 24% young women 18 to 24
- 19% those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or intersex (LGBTI)
- 18% those who speak a language other than English at home
- 15% girls aged 15 to 17
Women are twice as likely to experience image-based abuse than men
15% of women 18+, 7% of men 18+
How recent was the experience of image-based abuse?
- in the last month, 12%
- in the last year, 19%
- more than a year ago, 54%
- unsure, 13%
What types of images are being circulated?
- 35% unsure
- 21% semi-nude or partially clothed
- 14% down-blousing*
*Option asked of women only
Half of those affected by image-based abuse thought they were recognisable in the photo/video.
A third said their name was shared with the photo/video and one-fifth said their social network details were shared.
How are images being shared/distributed?
- Facebook: 53%
- SMS/MMS: 30%
- Snapchat: 11%
- Email: 11%
- Instagram: 4%
- Twitter: 3%
- Porn/revenge porn websites: 5%
- Other/unsure: 14%
But there are some differences by gender and age.
Images shared via:
- SMS/MMS: 36% women
- Facebook: 42% women
- Snapchat: 27% people 18 to 24 years, 47% women 15 to 17 years
24% of victims took these actions
- 47% confronted the perpetrator
- 35% reported it
- 20% withdrew from social activities
- 17% talked to others
- 17% sought legal or other advice
- 9% moved house, changed job or school/uni
76% of victims did not take action because:
- 29% felt it wouldn’t change anything
- 26% no reason
- 22% didn’t know what to do
- 18% felt embarrassment
- 11% felt shame
- 11% not affected by it
87% who took action said it resolved the problem for them.
Source: Research commissioned by the eSafety, May 2017. Respondents comprised 3,216 online women aged 15+ and 903 online men aged 18+ in Australia.
