The Irish government has launched a new campaign highlighting the consequences of illegally sharing intimate images of others.
The ‘Serious Consequences’ campaign seeks to empower victims by making them aware of the legislation and protections available.
The initiative, which will be rolled out across TV, radio, cinema, digital and social media, will raise awareness of the legislation on intimate image abuse, with a focus on the fact it is illegal to even threaten to share an intimate image of another person.
Speaking today, Minister for Justice Simon Harris said: “We know that threatening to share intimate imagery can be a feature of coercive control, for example, in relationships.
“We also know that it is a threat that can be used purely for monetary or financial gain.
“Whatever a person’s motivation for threatening to share an intimate image of another person, it is a crime through Coco’s Law which (former justice) Minister (Helen) McEntee enacted in 2021 and which is now seen across Europe as a pioneering piece of legislation.
“Research carried out on behalf of my department shows that half the population does not know that this is illegal. We want to change that.”
🚨 🚨 🚨 Threatening to share intimate images of another person is a crime.
Today I am launching a new public awareness campaign to make this crystal clear & for victims to know they have rights & for perpetrators to know the consequences.
Report all incidents to @gardainfo pic.twitter.com/ddLPOpITNW
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 22, 2023
Mr Harris continued: “Last June, my department launched Zero Tolerance, our third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
“It is an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept DSGBV (domestic, sexual and gender-based violence) or the attitudes which underpin it.
“We know the importance of criminal justice, of strong legislation, of reporting, of supports for victims and of a co-ordinated approach in our work with victims – and we are working hard on initiatives in each of those areas.
“But I believe the fundamental weapon we have in the fight against domestic, sexual and gender based violence is, and will always be, prevention. It is that huge piece of work around change in attitudes and social norms as to what is acceptable in Irish society.”
Goss.ie founder Alexandra Ryan previously told her own story of intimate image abuse, and helped the government launch Hotline.ie, where victims can report the sharing of intimate images without consent.
The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act (Coco’s Law), which was enacted on 10 February 2021, created new offences which criminalise the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.
Coco’s Law was named after 21-year-old Nicole Fox Fenlon, who died by suicide in 2018 after she was relentlessly abused online.
