Sexual violence is pervasive online. It manifests in many ways, including revenge pornography, cyber-flashing and upskirting, with victims predominantly being women and girls. Research from University College London in 2020 found that 76 per cent of the girls surveyed aged 12 to 18 had been sent unsolicited nudes or “dick pics”, while 70 per cent had been asked to send nudes themselves.
Last week, the women and equalities committee questioned ministers and policy officials about how the Online Safety Bill will help to protect women and girls from image-based sexual violence. This will be used to provide evidence for the committee’s wider inquiry into violence against women and girls.
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