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Cited by 70Stalking, Cyberstalking, and HarassmentSexual Assault and Victimization StudiesGender, Feminism, and Media

Seeking Justice and Redress for Victim-Survivors of Image-Based Sexual Abuse

Open access
Rackley, Erika, McGlynn, Clare, Johnson, Kelly, Henry, Nicola, Gavey, Nicola, Flynn, Asher, Powell, Anastasia·2021·Feminist Legal Studies
DOI 10.1007/s10691-021-09460-8
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Abstract

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.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s10691-021-09460-8

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  • In a study focused on youth sexual exploitation on the Internet involving adolescents with mental health challenges, participants ranged from under 13 years old (18%) and 15 to 17 years old (50%), with a mean age of 14.28 years (standard deviation = 1.945).

    “In a study focused on youth sexual exploitation on the Internet involving adolescents with mental health challenges, participants ranged from under 13 years old (18%) and 15 to 17 years old (50%), with a mean age of 14.28 years (standard deviation = 1.945) [25].”

    From Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities: A Systematic Review (2024) · cites this paper as [25]

    Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 0 partially supported, 2 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

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  • In terms of relationship to the victim, perpetrators included family members, educators, religious individuals, peers, neighbors, trusted individuals, and people met online as groomers and cyber-bullies.

    “In terms of the relationship to the victim, perpetrators included family members [23,24], educators [23,24], religious individuals [23,24], peers [23,24], neighbors [23,24], trusted individuals [23,24], and people met online as groomers [4,17,25] and cyber-bullies [13,26].”

    From Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities: A Systematic Review (2024) · cites this paper as [25]

    The “Experiencing Image-Based Sexual Abuse” section describes abuse by intimate partners and online predators; another passage describes a threat by a former friend. Those examples support some relationship types, but the paper does not substantiate the cited list of family members, educators, religious individuals, neighbors, and trusted individuals as perpetrator categories. The online-groomer clause has different citations in the citing sentence. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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  • Specific disabilities mentioned include autism spectrum disorder, Williams Syndrome, intellectual disabilities, 22q11 deletion syndrome, and physical disabilities including deafness, and chronic health problems.

    “Specific disabilities are mentioned, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) [17,26,27], Williams Syndrome [17,26], intellectual disabilities [22,26,27], 22q11 deletion syndrome (which involves developmental delays and may face mild intellectual disability or learning disabilities) [26], and physical disabilities [23,25] including deafness [18], and chronic health problems [25].”

    From Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities: A Systematic Review (2024) · cites this paper as [25]

    The 'Intersectional, Racialised and Gendered Harms' section discusses victim-survivors living with disabilities and describes a participant whose epilepsy required emergency care after the abuse. This supports the reference to a chronic health condition, but the paper does not specifically identify physical disabilities. The other named conditions in the citing sentence are attached to different citations, not this source. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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  • For victims with ASD and 22q11 deletion syndrome, reported occurrences included cyber-threats, cyber-harassment, and grooming.

    “For victims with ASD and 22q11 deletion syndrome [26], the reported occurrences included cyber-threats, cyber-harassment, and grooming [25].”

    From Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities: A Systematic Review (2024) · cites this paper as [25]

    The “Experiencing Image-Based Sexual Abuse” section reports threats to share sexual images, online sexual harassment alongside other abuse, and grooming into sharing images. It does not establish that these occurrences were reported specifically for victims with ASD and 22q11 deletion syndrome; that population is attached to a different citation in the citing sentence. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The repercussions of online victimization extend across various dimensions, leaving victims to grapple with profound challenges, involving their desire to have control of their lives, physical and mental health, and their images, lives, bodies, relationships, and careers when it comes to image-based OCSEA.

    “The repercussions of online victimization extend across various dimensions, leaving victims to grapple with profound challenges, involving their desire to have control of their lives, physical and mental health, and their images, lives, bodies, relationships, and careers when it comes to image-based OCSEA [25].”

    From Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities: A Systematic Review (2024) · cites this paper as [25]

    Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Citron, Danielle Keats, and Mary Anne Franks. 2014. Criminalizing revenge porn. Wake Forest Law Review 49: 345-391.
  2. Harding, Sandra G. (ed.). 2004. The feminist standpoint theory reader: Intellectual and political contro- versies. New York; London: Routledge.
  3. Hill Collins, Patricia, and Sirma Billge. 2016. Intersectionality. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  4. Lyons, Izzy. 2019. Revenge porn threats should be made illegal, review suggests, after Alice Ruggles mur- der. Daily Telegraph, 19 March. https:// www. teleg raph. co. uk/ news/ 2019/ 03/ 19/ reven ge-porn-threa ts- should-made-illeg al-review-sugge sts-alice/. Accessed 25 November 2019.

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Authors
Rackley, E., McGlynn, C., Johnson, K., Henry, N., Gavey, N., Flynn, A., & Powell, A.
Affiliations
  • University of Kent (GB)
  • Durham University (GB)
  • RMIT University (AU)
  • University of Auckland (NZ)
  • Monash University (AU)
Corresponding author
Rackley, Erika
ORCID
Venue
Feminist Legal Studies
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2021-05-27
Volume
29
Issue
3
Pages
293-322
ISSN
  • 0966-3622 (ISSN-L)
  • 1572-8455
DOI
10.1007/s10691-021-09460-8
OpenAlex
W3170612718
Cited by
70
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 3
FWCI
11.78
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Feminist Legal Studies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Durham Research Online (Durham University) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Monash University Research Portal (Monash University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Durham Research Online (Durham University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent) (submittedVersion)
  • RMIT Research Repository (RMIT University Library) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
  • University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • ResearchSpace (University of Auckland) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Australian Research Council (DP170101433)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Stalking, Cyberstalking, and Harassment
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Feminism, and Media
Keywords
image-based sexual abuse, victim-survivors, redress, criminal justice response, online sexual abuse, multi-agency response, gender-based violence, intersectionality, social media, UK legislation

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