Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is arguably the most common type of sexual exploitation today. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation defines IBSA as the creating, threatening to share, sharing, or using of recordings (still images or videos) of sexually explicit or sexualized materials without the consent of the person depicted and/or for purposes of exploitation.
The ways in which abusers perpetrate IBSA vary, but the victims suffer ongoing trauma. From explicit leaked images and revenge pornography to upskirting, the victims of IBSA often have to deal with their images being circulated for years with little recourse to remove them from others' devices and the internet, creating a cycle of abuse.
Senator Mike Lee of Utah recently introduced the the Preventing Rampant Online Technological and Criminal Trafficking Act of 2022 (PROTECT Act). If passed, this bill would legally require all websites that share pornographic content to obtain verified consent forms from individuals uploading content or appearing in uploaded content. It would also require pornographic websites to quickly remove images that have been created or uploaded without consent, once that content is reported. The PROTECT Act would help millions of victims of IBSA, as well as preventing future abuse.
To read more about image-based sexual abuse, click here.