Roundtable: Image-Based Sexual Abuse: New Trends and Future Research Agenda

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract/Description

Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) and other manifestations of digital sexual abuse are increasingly prevalent. Simultaneously, there is a rise in research, as well as normative and preventive actions being implemented at both national and international levels. While most research focuses on the non-consensual sending of intimate images (NCII), new trends are emerging and made possible through developments of artificial intelligence, in particular deepnude. This roundtable intends to introduce new research on IBSA as well as opening the discussion on the future research agenda in this field. During this roundtable, two papers will be presented with new data on deepnude and the dissemination of non-consensual intimate images. These papers focus on new insights as to the prevalence and understanding of these phenomena. The findings will be relied upon to discuss evidence-based approaches to legislating and criminalizing IBSA, in particular in the United States and the European Union. In addition to the discussion on new trends in IBSA and the policy approach to IBSA, a last paper to the roundtable will open the discussion on future research and methodological challenges. The roundtable intends to attract other researchers in the field to set on future research goals.

Sub Unit

• Area XIV. Roundtables

Individual Presentations

• Perceptions of sexualized deepfake abuse in the U.S.: The impact of deepfake victims’ gender and race on attributions of blame and harm - Asia Eaton, Florida International University; Asher Flynn, Monash University; Anastasia Powell, RMIT University; Adrian J. Scott, Goldsmith University London

• Criminalising AI and non-AI generated IBSA: an evidence-based policy agenda - Catherine Van de Heyning, University of Antwerp; Michel Walrave, Media and ICT in Organisations and Society (MIOS), University of Antwerp; Aurélie Gilen, Researcher Media and ICT in Organisations and Society (MIOS), University of Antwerp; Nina Szyf, researcher Faculty of Law, University of Antwerp; Mona Giacometti, Faculty of Law and Criminology, Université Libre de Bruxelles

• Sexting and image-based sexual abuse research: Methodological considerations - Joris Van Ouytsel, Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University

Chair

• Michel Walrave, Media and ICT in Organisations and Society (MIOS), University of Antwerp