An awareness campaign has been launched highlighting that threatening to share intimate images of another person is a crime with potentially serious consequences.

Department of Justice research has shown that half the population does not know that this is illegal.

The ‘Serious Consequences’ campaign will run on TV, cinema, local and national radio, digital and social media to make the public aware of the legislation and the protections available.

Justice minister Simon Harris stated that the public should know that threatening to share intimate images is illegal, as well as being a reprehensible act.

Threatening

“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,” he said.

In September 2021, following on from the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, the department launched the first phase of a campaign to raise awareness of intimate image abuse and to better inform people of the strong legislation in place to combat it.

Phase two of the campaign focuses on raising awareness that it is illegal to threaten to share an intimate image of another person.