Revenge porn – what you need to know

Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is the preferred term
. "Revenge porn" largely refers to incidents in which intimate images are taken, shared, or threatened to be shared without consent. IBSA is the more accurate term, since it does not suggest that the victim did something deserving of "revenge." It's surprisingly common
1 in 12 U.S. adults report that they have been victims of image-based sexual abuse, and even more disturbingly, 1 in 20 report that they have been perpetrators of image-based sexual abuse. Ruvalcaba & Eaton, 2020 IBSA involving minors is also legally considered "child pornography"
According to one report, approximately 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys aged 13-17 report sharing their own nudes, and 1 in 3 underage teens report having seen nonconsensually shared nudes of other minors. Thorn, 2020 Porn consumers are more likely to perpetrate IBSA
Research shows that porn consumers are more willing to share intimate images of someone else without their consent, which researchers suggest is because of porn's tendency to normalize objectification. van Oosten & Vandenbosch, 2020 Porn sites have been known to host IBSA
Most porn sites do not verify age or consent, meaning virtually anyone can post anything—including image-based sexual abuse. In fact, there have been many documented instances of verified accounts posting nonconsensual content or even child sexual exploitation material on porn sites. BBC, 2020 ParlVu, 2021 Victims of IBSA often experience mental health challenges
Many victims of image-based sexual abuse feel powerless, helpless, or even suicidal. Research indicates that victims of image-based abuse often experience severe and disruptive mental health effects including PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Bates, 2017 As one victim of image-based sexual abuse said, “The videos of me being on Pornhub has affected my life to the point where I don’t leave my house anymore. I stopped being able to work just because I was too scared to be out in public around other people. And I feel like everyone who looks at me has looked at those videos.” There is help available
If you have experienced image-based sexual abuse, please know that you’re not alone, and that there are resources available to help you. For more information about how to combat image-based sexual abuse, visit ftnd.org/IBSA.