Sharing intimate images without consent to become illegal in Queensland in battle against revenge porn

IT will soon be illegal in Queensland to share or threaten to expose intimate images of someone without consent – whether or not those images exist – under tough new revenge porn laws.

IT will soon be illegal in Queensland to share or threaten to expose intimate images of someone without their consent – whether or not those images exist – under tough new revenge porn laws to go before the Palaszczuk Cabinet today.

Cabinet will be asked to sign off on new laws to outlaw revenge porn in Queensland in a Bill to be introduced in State Parliament as early as this week.

Queensland Cabinet is set to sign off on new laws to outlaw revenge porn.

The new laws will include changes to the Criminal Code to make it a criminal offence not only to share, but to threaten to share, an intimate image without consent.

The offence also will apply to digitally altered images, such as photoshopping a victim’s head on to someone else’s body.

It is believed it will be an offence to threaten to share such images, whether they actually exist or not.

Perpetrators will also be forced to remove the images, with the new laws to include a “take down” provision.

Moving to strengthen protection for victims amid the growing prevalence of revenge porn, will bring Queensland into line with most other mainland states.

Distributing intimate images without consent currently attracts a jail term of up to three years in NSW and the ACT, and up to two years in Victoria and South Australia.

That term can be longer in South Australia and the ACT if the victim is under the age of 18.

Western Australia also has cracked down on revenge porn.

Currently Queensland law has provision only to prosecute someone if they make a demand with intent to either gain a benefit or cause detriment to a victim.

Even the threat of having an intimate image shared across social media can cause extreme anxiety.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made a commitment during last November’s election campaign to introduce stronger protection for victims, including a new offence to include even the threat of exposing images without consent.

“Revenge porn, as it’s often known, is used in a variety of disturbing ways, and there is anecdotal evidence that it’s occurring more often, particularly as part of a pattern of domestic violence behaviour,” she said at the time.

“Victims often don’t know whether there is material in existence; but a threat to distribute material, even material that may not exist, causes extreme anxiety about what the material is and the threat to distribute.”

Federal Government is also moving to bring in Commonwealth revenge porn laws that could see perpetrators jailed for up to seven years.

Websites also could be fined under the Federal changes.

Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath has said the Commonwealth laws would complement Queensland’s and ensure victims were protected across jurisdictions.

“I welcome the Commonwealth taking action in this space as well because the State can only reach so far,” she said.