‘Mental torture’: Shock rise in revenge porn, online abuse

Aussie perpetrators are “weaponising” social media, with many sharing a sick victim-targeting trait. Here’s how to protect your loved ones.

Exclusive: Three quarters of Australians had at least one negative experience online in the last year, with more than one in five perpetrators targeting their victims for fun.

New research found that most victims are friends, family members, or a partner or ex-partner.

Former detective-turned-eSafety investigator Toby Dagg said most perpetrators knew their victims, although a third were strangers.

“Since the pandemic, people’s moral governance filters are not quite as effective as they used to be,” Mr Dagg, eSafety Commission Acting Chief Operating Officer said.

“The abuse has intensified in scale and in the degree of harm, while cases are more complex.”

He said people were “weaponising social media” to express their own opinions, for fun and amusement but also to punish, or to embarrass or shame their target.

Social media is being “weaponised” by abusers to target victims.

The results of the survey of 4,783 Australians aged 18 to 65, was released by the eSafety Commission on Tuesday and found that negative online experiences had increased by 30 per cent since 2019.

They included unwanted inappropriate content, such as pornographic or violent material (32 per cent) and personal information being misused, such as a photo being shared without consent (25 per cent).

Julie Inman Grant, Australia's e-Safety Commissioner, says the new research shows a “disturbing escalation” in online threats. Picture: Stuart McEvoy/The Australian

The eSafety Commissioner Julia Inman Grant said the research revealed perpetrators of abuse were “increasingly emboldened”.

“Our research reveals a disturbing escalation in negative experiences online, with

reports of electronic tracking, impersonation, and threats of real-world harm and

violence almost doubling compared to 2019,” Ms Inman Grant said.

In particular, investigators were concerned about a sharp rise in young male teens being blackmailed online, after being tricked into sending nude or sexually explicit pictures of themselves to scammers, pretending to be young females.

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Tracy Adams, chief executive officer of Yourtown, says there has been a rise in teens being targeted in sextortion scams. Picture: Supplied

New data from Kids Helpline showed calls from distressed young teens caught up in sextortion scams had risen from two cases in 2017 to more than two a week in 2022.

“The significant increases we are seeing among boys and young men reaching out for help to us on this issue is unprecedented,” Chief executive officer of Yourtown, Tracy Adams said.

Internet Removals — who help individuals and businesses remove information from Google search — said its seen a rapid increase in people using their services over the past few years.

Nearly 2 million URLS have been removed by the organisation, the majority of which have been in the past three years.

“The individuals we have worked with include victims of intimate partner violence, people with mental health issues and disabilities, and individuals who have been victims of discrimination,” Senior Reputation Manager Kavita Shama said.

One woman — who could not be named for safety reasons — said she was a victim of vicious revenge porn by her ex which left her with “PTSD and severe trauma”.

“My ex posted my picture online, which lead eventually to stress and suicidal thoughts. it became mental torture,” the woman said.

ADVICE FOR PARENTS AND CARERS:

• Be available and approachable so your child can come and talk to you if needed
• Remain calm
• Let them know it’s not their fault and that the situation can be managed
• Reach out to Kids Helpline available 24/7

Originally published as ‘Mental torture’: Shock rise in revenge porn, online abuse