‘Sexual abuse happens online, too – but current laws leave too many victims unprotected’ The Conversation (July 2019): a short blog summarising the findings of our report Shattering Lives and Myths, with Erika Rackley and Kelly Johnson. 
It’s time the Government recognised the harm of upskirting and image-based sexual abuse Huffington Post (December 2018): a short comment giving voice to survivors of image-based sexual abuse, particularly their descriptions of the harms experienced, with Kelly Johnson.
‘Cyberflashing and Deepfake Porn Are Harming Women Right Now’ (July 2019): my comment in the Huffington Post on why the Government announcement of a review of the law on image-based sexual abuse is #JusticeDelayed and more urgent action is required.
Online Abuse review launched: a news clip below from 5News with Folami Prehaye and myself commenting on the Government review, see blow and Folami’s tweet
Research Briefing on Image-Based Sexual Abuse
In this briefing, we explain why the term ‘image-based sexual abuse’ is better than others such as ‘revenge porn’ and why the terminology we use matters to our public and political debate. We outline the different forms of image-based sexual abuse and suggest legal reforms. This briefing is based on our academic research published in the Oxford Journal of Legal Studies and Feminist Legal Studies.
Huffington Post Blog: ‘Revenge Porn’ Is A Form Of Sexual Assault.
“So, revenge porn’ – or rather image-based sexual abuse – is a sexual offence. The harm comes from the fact that it is sexual images that are shared without consent; the images go viral because they are sexual. Sharing private sexual images without consent exploits an individuals’ sexual identity and infringes their sexual autonomy. The online abuse which accompanies distribution of private sexual images includes sexual threats (rape threats), as well as abusive comments about the victim’s appearance, body, sexuality and sexual agency. New research has shown how all different forms of image-based sexual abuse – including ‘revenge porn’, ‘upskirting’, sexual extortion, sexualised photoshopping – share common characteristics with other forms of sexual offending.”
Briefing on Image-based Sexual Abuse as a Sexual Offence and Why Anonymity is needed
This briefing
explains why image-based sexual abuse is a form of sexual offending and should be treated as such, as well as outlining why all complainants and victim-survivors require automatic anonymity when reporting a potential offence.
Scottish Justice Committee Evidence on Image-Based Sexual Abuse (including ‘revenge porn’)
I gave evidence before the Scottish Parliament Justice Committee when they were debating the introduction of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016.
Further Blog Posts and Comment Pieces
- Clare McGlynn, ‘We Need A New Law to Combat “Upskirting” and “Downblousing”‘, Inherently Human 15 April 2015
- Erika Rackley and Clare McGlynn, The new law against ‘revenge porn’ is welcome, but no guarantee of success, The Conversation February 16, 2015
- Erika Rackley and Clare McGlynn, The law must focus on consent when it tackles revenge porn, The Conversation July 23, 2014
Revenge Porn is defined as “disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress” (s33 Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015). This would include distributing private and personal images or video recordings of an individual without their consent. In the practical sense, this would include making physical copies of the explicit images or recordings and distributing them, sharing the photos or recordings on Facebook or other social media platforms, distributing them via text, WhatsApp or email and publishing them on websites.
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