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‘Revenge porn’ now outlawed in Queensland
People convicted of sharing revenge porn images could face up to three years’ imprisonment, following the passage of new laws from the Queensland state government on Wednesday.
Jerome Doraisamy
Source: Twitter @YvetteDAth
The Criminal Code (Non-Consensual Sharing of Intimate Images) Amendment Bill 2018 “addresses the disturbing trend colloquially known as revenge porn”, said Queensland Attorney-General and minister for justice Yvette D’Ath, noting that the Palaszczuk government had outlawed “this harmful behaviour”.
“We want offenders to know that this is more than unacceptable, it is a crime. We want victims to know that it is safe to come forward. They will not be blamed or shamed, they will be supported by the new laws.”
Anyone convicted of distributing or threatening to distribute intimate images or prohibited visual recordings of a person without their consent now faces up to three years in jail in Queensland, and additionally, anyone threatening to distribute an image can be charged, whether or not the image actually exists.
“The new laws also cover photoshopped images – where an image has been altered to look like a person is portrayed in an intimate way.”
A-G D’Ath also said the laws give courts the power to make a rectification order directing an offender to delete or remove images or face up to two years’ imprisonment.
“This is about more than holding people accountable, it is about starting a conversation. That is why we are working across government to deliver education and awareness-raising initiatives,” she said.
“Whether you are a parent, a carer or a friend, everyone needs to warn their loved ones of the dangers of sharing intimate images. The new laws consider children under 16 not capable of giving consent to distributing intimate images depicting them.”
Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. In June 2024, he also assumed the editorship of HR Leader. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
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