One In Ten Girls At Risk Of Intimate Image Blackmail, UK Report Warns

One in ten girls has been threatened to have nude photos shared without its consent, according to a shocking new report from leading UK children’s charity Barnardo’s, which highlights the increasing extent of online misogyny and image based abuse among young people. One in seven young people aged between 13 and 15 had received requests to send naked photos, according to a survey of 4,000 teenagers in the United Kingdom which found a quarter of young people aged between 13 and 20 had seen private intimate images shared publicly after they were originally sent in confidence. Expert voices raised the alarm at misogyny becoming an ‘everyday part of childhood’ and at how online abuse is tainting the perceptions of consent, relationships and respect amongst young people.

What Happened Here?

According To The Independent, speaking about the findings, Barnardo’s senior practitioner Luneta Tajblova said that frontline workers are seeing a very shocking reality where girls are being regularly coerced into posting intimate images online. Many of those victims are later held responsible when those images are spread around without their authorization, she said, saying that this is a ‘dangerous double standard’. Girls are criticized in public for ‘should have known’ and for ‘why they posted the photos in the first place’ while the people who posted them go unpunished, Tajblova said. She said these views ‘indicate’ a lack of understanding of the concept of consent and foster an environment of normalizing abusive behaviour, rather than holding the person responsible.

How Does Pornography Play A Part In This?

The report also indicated that pornography and misogynistic material are increasingly shaping the behaviour of teenagers. Tajblova said there is a ‘direct, undeniable link’ between the disrespectful attitude toward women that is prevalent in the easily accessed pornography and the way some boys act toward girls. One in four girls reported degrading names being used online or on social media platforms, and many boys reported feeling pressured not to say anything when they saw sexist behaviour. Over 20 percent indicated that their friends would not support them if they spoke out against sexist jokes or comments, and 57 percent stated that they would be seen as ‘boring’ if they didn’t join in with the harmful ‘banter’ among their peers.

What Does The Report Say About Impact Of Misogyny On Boys?

The report has also raised concerns about the damage that misogyny is doing to boys, with many experiencing a strong sense of social pressure to have controlling or degrading attitudes towards women to fit in. Some young boys are victims of sextortion and online exploitation themselves via chat rooms and social networks, the charity said. There was a definite increase in child on child sexual abuse and unhealthy sexual behaviors in the last 12 months, with 29 percent reporting a very significant increase. The organisation also expressed concern about the emergence of deepfake technology, fake intimate images of girls created and shared online using fake social media accounts.

Will The UK Government Take Any Strict Actions?

Barnardo is calling on the UK government and Ofcom, the communications regulator, to crack down on misogynistic content online and offline, following the findings. Misogyny is ‘constant, corrosive and deeply embedded’ in young people’s lives, said chief executive Lynn Perry, explaining that it could lead to humiliation, sexual abuse, shame and isolation for teens. ‘Digital platforms have a responsibility to minimise and do not allow gender-based abuse and harmful content to be shared in children’s online feeds,’ an Ofcom spokeswoman said. The findings are also being described by the UK government as ‘deeply shocking’ and are saying that ‘more robust action is being taken’ under the Online Safety Act, to tackle harmful AI generated content and online exploitation of children, as well as child sexual abuse material.

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