How To Respond: Image-based Sexual Abuse

Recognise, Respond, Support:

Image-based Sexual Abuse

What is it?

Image-based sexual abuse happens when someone shares, or threatens to share, intimate or private images of a person without their consent.

This can include posting, sending, or even editing and faking images to shame, control, or harm someone.

Increasingly, this abuse involves digitally altered content, such as AI-generated “deepfakes,” which create fake or sexualised images.

This is a serious form of online harm with significant emotional and legal consequences. It can occur in relationships, friendships, or after a breakup.

Even if the images aren’t widely shared, the impact can be severe, causing feelings of shame, fear, and humiliation.

This growing issue can lead to anxiety, depression, and other social, psychological, and physical harms, and often happens alongside other forms of abuse or bullying.

If you, your child or someone you know has had intimate images shared without their consent, support is available and it's important to seek help and advice; you are not alone.

Is it illegal?

Sharing (or threatening to share) nude or nearly nude images/videos of someone else without their consent can be an offence under The Harmful Digital Communications Act (HDCA) and a potential offence under other Acts. 

If prosecuted under the HDCA, the penalties can be a fine of up to $50,000 or up to two years jail for an individual, and up to $200,000 for a body corporate.

The majority of the criminal prosecutions under the HDCA in its first 18 months were for image-based abuse.

Recognising the signs

These may be indicators that something is happening for your young person online, or they have seen something upsetting:

Increased secrecy around their device or online activity
Changes in mood, such as sudden anxiety, distress, or withdrawal after being online. Sometimes it’s more subtle, like irritability, sadness, or fear
Avoiding school, or social situations without any clear reason
Reluctance to share what they’re doing online or who they’ve been speaking to
Isolation from friends and family or becoming defensive when asked about online contacts
Expressing shame, guilt, or fear about something or worrying about images being shared or their reputation being damaged

What to do

Stay calm
- Avoid anger or blame; your child needs reassurance, safety and support
Support your child’s wellbeing
- They may feel scared, guilty or embarrassed -reassure them they did the right thing by telling you
Save evidence
- Take screenshots of messages, images and account details of the person sharing the content
Report the content and the account
- Use in-app reporting tools to report to the platform where the content has been shared
Use the Take It Down tool
- This tool can help to remove intimate images or videos from online if they feature someone under the age of 18
Support emotional safety
- Listen, stay calm and if needed, connect them with a school counsellor or wellbeing service
Report to Netsafe
- Contact Netsafe for immediate advice and removal support. Netsafe can help escalate the content and account to the platform for review and removal
- Contact Police (105) if the image is being used to blackmail or threaten harm

Tips to connect and prevent further harm

Depending on the age and stage of your child you might:

Explain consent and what it means to give consent, and why asking for or sending private pictures without consent is not OK
Talk about privacy, explain why some photos or videos are private and should never be shared
Discuss what to do if it happens, by making sure they know they can come to you or contact Netsafe straight away
Acknowledge peer pressure and relationship dynamics, by helping them understand how these can influence decisions
Talk about the risks of sharing intimate photos, without shaming or blaming. Explain how content can spread quickly and without permission
Encourage digital respect, for themselves and others. Model this behaviour and prompt them to think about what it means to be a safe and respectful digital citizen
Reassure them that help is available and that the law is there to protect them