A study found that 75% of young girls had been sent unsolicited nude pictures
Cyber flashing, the sending of unsolicited nude pictures, is to become a crime, and people could face jail time for it.
Ministers are said to be considering making cyber flashing a crime as part of the Online Harms Bill currently before parliament. However, The Times suggests that the government will instead use the Sexual Offences Act as they will struggle to get the online bill passed this year.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries tells @skynewsniall that self-harm and cyber-flashing are "under consideration" for the Online Safety Bill, which she says is "extensive and wide-ranging".
Read more: https://t.co/WQhWzuKEtN
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/4VWdUEsjdM
— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 5, 2022
Sky News suggests that the government wants to implement the legislation as soon as possible. Once passed, the act will be criminalised in line with similar offences, like upskirting, which currently carries a sentence of up to two years. It also means that cyber flashers could be added to the sex offenders register.
Last month, justice minister Victoria Atkins told MPs that the government “absolutely supports” cyber flashing being criminalised.
Half the birds are gonna lose their content on ere now cause wa else are they gonna tweet about https://t.co/WKOvv6v9oI
— Jorgé 🎗 (@_gp_98) February 8, 2022
She continued: “We are carefully considering an offence along the lines of that proposed by the Law Commission.
“My honourable friend the member for Brecon and Radnorshire asked whether the Online Safety Bill might be the vehicle through which that law was brought about.
So this disgusting person thinks it acceptable to send pictures of his penis.
Ladies, everyone decent block him @gyb1514
I can't wait for this cyber flashing legislation to come in. This is why I'm utterly sick to my back teeth of men 😡 pic.twitter.com/ZbSTy0qqPS
— 🐞 Bigger Beauty up North (@Biggerbeauty82) February 6, 2022
“We are actively looking at that, but we very much understand the need for speed and, indeed, the wish of women and girls around the country for the issue to be dealt with quickly and effectively.”
Research from UCL indicates that 75.8 per cent of girls aged 12-18 had been sent unsolicited “d**k pics” in the past. The 2019 survey also found that 70 per cent of girls had been asked to send nudes in “trades”.
This week is Sexual Violence Awareness Week. Sexual violence is evolving and image based sexual abuse is on the rise. From cyber flashing and image leaks to revenge porn and online harassment- women and girls deserve to feel empowered in the physical and the digital space.
— Jess Davies (@_JessicaDavies) February 7, 2022
Presenter Jess Davies recently tweeted about the act for Sexual Violence week.
She said: “This week is Sexual Violence Awareness Week. Sexual violence is evolving and image-based sexual abuse is on the rise. From cyber flashing and image leaks to revenge porn and online harassment- women and girls deserve to feel empowered in the physical and the digital space.”
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- ‘My small penis destroyed any hope of falling in love and having a family’
- ‘I sleep with my brother to keep warm – my boyfriend thinks I’m cheating’
