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Sharing of intimate images

Sharing of intimate images

If someone shares or even threatens to share explicit images or videos of you without your permission, this is image based sexual abuse and it is a crime.

It is against the law under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and related Offences Act 2020 and you can report it to An Garda Síochána.

Even if you,

  • Previously sent them to that person consensually,
  • Took the photos or videos with them,
  • Didn’t know they were taking photos or videos of you.

They are still breaking the law by sharing or threatening to share them without your consent.

This has happened to me, what do I do?

If this has happened to you it is image based sexual abuse. You might feel anxious and worried about what to do. You can chat to us about it below or call the Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline on 1800 341 900 24.

Practical Tips

Screenshot what was shared and save the URLs so that you have a record of what has happened.

Notify the website or platform immediately by selecting the Report option.

If they ask for a reason, you can say that it was uploaded without your consent. If it is explicit material, it is likely it goes against the Community Guidelines of many social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook, and they will take it down immediately.

Report it confidentially and anonymously at hotline.ie.

Hotline can help to report and remove the images/videos online. They can also work with An Garda Síochána, if you would like the Gardaí to investigate your situation.

Flag it if it has been shared on a pornography website, and request it to be removed. Many websites have this option in their Content Removal section.

If you know the person who uploaded the material, you can try contacting them to ask them to take it down.

The laws:

  • If you are under 18 in the photos/videos this is considered child sexual abuse and the person who shared it has committed a criminal offence. This can be reported to the Gardaí.
  • If you are being blackmailed, if anyone is seeking money from you, or if you feel harassed, you can go to the Gardaí to make a complaint.
  • Under the Data Protection Acts 1988-2003, you have the right to ask a website to take down any sensitive content of you.

Someone sent me explicit images/videos without asking me, what do I do?

  • If there is any possibility that the photos/videos are of have people under 18 you should report it immediately to the Gardaí. This is considered child sexual abuse imagery.
  • The Gardaí may wish to preserve it as evidence. If they do not wish to do so, delete the images.
  • Do not under any circumstances share the images/videos with anyone else. Doing this could make you involved in a criminal offence.

*Please note that this is not legal advice. If you need legal advice, please consult a solicitor.

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