Clare McGinn and Erika Rackley from the University of Birmingham define image-based sexual abuse as:

“the ‘non-consensual creation and/or distribution of private, sexual images’ – includes typical revenge porn, as well as consensually taken images that have been hacked or stolen and then shared, but also covers the non-consensual creation of sexual imagery: for example photos and videos created by means of upskirting, forms of voyeurism and sextortion, or recordings of sexual assaults.”

1 in 8 social media users will become the victims of image-based sexual assault, and 90% of these victims are women.

Currently there is no legislation protecting victims from the sharing of their intimate photos without consent unless the images feature an underage person, in which case it is considered child pornography.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has stated that there is currently a plan to enact legislation put out by TD Brendan Howlin in 2017, which has been in the committee stages since 2019. This is the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill. We have been waiting for this bill to be signed into law for far too long.

As seen by recent events, delaying this bill any further could result in catastrophic consequences for hundreds, if not thousands of victims of IBSA. Legislation is needed now.

UCCSU have submitted a motion to Class Council to mandate future SU’s to continue the fight against IBSA and advocate on behalf of victims. This motion also includes the stipulation that incoming Welfare Officers must run at least one event raising awareness on IBSA during SHAG Week. The motion will be voted on at the 2nd Class Council of the year (24th November 2020).

UCCSU will continue to share resources and information from the End IBSA movement. These range from how victims can protect their mental health, their physical safety, their online presence to sharing petitions and emailing our local TDs.

The protection of victims and their privacy will be at the core of everything we do regarding this movement.

Image-Based Sexual Abuse affects 1 in 8 people who use social media. 90% of victims are women.

We need legislation, but not only that, we need a huge culture shift. The onus should not be on women to protect each other and themselves from this form of abuse. pic.twitter.com/cZRxZJimU4

— UCC Students’ Union (@UCCSU) November 19, 2020

• Contact your TDs and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to demand that the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill be signed into Irish law as soon as possible You can see a list of your TDs and their contact information here.
• Sign the petition
  A petition to make revenge porn a criminal offence in Ireland has already reached over 25,000 signatures. Put your name behind the movement and demand better from our government. Petition located here.
• Talk to your friends about consent If you think your friends are more likely to listen to you than to attend a Consent Workshop, then sit down and have a chat to them about the importance of consent. If you see a friend sharing explicit images of someone without their consent, do not let it slide or joke it off. While the enactment of legislation will criminalise IBSA, it will not change the culture that has allowed IBSA to go unchecked for so long.
• Attend rallies and events that support victims When someone has been made the victim of IBSA, chances are they are going to feel incredibly isolated and vulnerable. A huge show of solidarity is needed, so get behind victims and support the work they do to ensure this never happens to someone else. A streamed protest event will be taking place on the 28th of November at 3pm – link to the event here.

Ultimately the issue of image-based sexual abuse boils down to consent. Do you have consent to take the image? Do you have consent to upload the image online? If so – great! If not, you’re committing image-based sexual abuse.

The following resources are available for anyone looking to learn more about issues pertaining to consent:

• Active* Consent
  The Active* Consent  workshops encourage young people from 16-24 to have positive and confident sexual health and well-being. They are based on the premise that consent is O.M.F.G. – ongoing, mutual and freely given. If you would like to organise an Active* Consent workshop for your class, club or society, get in contact with Jamie our Welfare Officer at welfare@uccsu.ie
• Consent Matters Ireland
  The Consent Matters Ireland group have shared multiple video resources for you to educate yourself on the meaning and importance of consent.