Seeking justice and redress for victim-survivors of image-based sexual abuse

Erika Rackley, Clare McGlynn, Kelly Johnson, Nicola Henry, Nicola Gavey, Asher Flynn, Anastasia Powell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

41 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Despite apparent political concern and action—often fuelled by high-profile cases and campaigns—legislative and institutional responses to image-based sexual abuse in the UK have been ad hoc, piecemeal and inconsistent. In practice, victim-survivors are being consistently failed: by the law, by the police and criminal justice system, by traditional and social media, website operators, and by their employers, universities and schools. Drawing on data from the first multi-jurisdictional study of the nature and harms of, and legal/policy responses to, image-based sexual abuse, this article argues for a new joined-up approach that supports victim-survivors of image-based sexual abuse to ‘reclaim control’. It argues for a comprehensive, multi-layered, multi-institutional and multi-agency response, led by a government- and industry-funded online or e-safety organisation, which not only recognises the diversity of victim-survivor experiences and the intersection of image-based sexual abuse with other forms of sexual and gender-based violence and discrimination, but which also enables victim-survivors to reclaim control within and beyond the criminal justice system.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)293-322
Number of pages30
JournalFeminist Legal Studies
Volume29
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2021

Keywords

  • Image-based sexual abuse
  • Intimate image
  • Justice
  • Law reform
  • Non-consensual porn
  • Social rupture
  • Revenge Pornography: The implications for law reform

    Henry, N. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Flynn, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Powell, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), McGlynn, C. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Rackley, E. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Gavey, N. (Partner Investigator (PI))

    24/08/1730/06/20

    Project: Research

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