Perceived harmfulness as trigger for bystanding in image-based sexual abuse.

• In Event: Bystander Intervention and Image-Based Sexual Abuse

Abstract

A 2023 prevalence study showed that non-consensual dissemination of intimate images (NCII) is a recurrent form of image-based sexual violence among Belgian adolescents and young adults. To investigate its prevalence and consequences, a survey-vignette study was conducted among 2819 Belgian digital natives (15 to 25 year). Of the respondents who sent sexting messages, 25.8% had their intimate image disseminated without their consent. When asked about their feelings connected to events of NCII, victims mentioned feeling nervous (36.8%), ashamed (32.2%), helpless (32.6%), guilty (21.3%), and lonely (22.6%). In terms of perpetration, 31.9% engaged in NCII. These high numbers of occurrence of NCII-events as well as the feelings of loneliness and helplessness suggest that victims are often isolated and unsupported. The study further found that victims do not find their way to professional help, but mostly turn to peers (30%) and parents (26,8%) for support. A significant group of victims (17.4%) does not seek support and deals with the event alone. These numbers suggest a high level of isolation of victims and low levels of active bystanding. However, the vignette-study found high numbers of the population labelling scenarios of NCII as harmful (average 70.3%). Moreover, high percentages of the respondents indicate that events of NCII should be prosecuted by law enforcement, with the majority proponent of punishing perpetrators by alternative sanctions to prison sentencing such as probation condition or following a course on online violence (45.7%), paying a fine (48.2%), community service (39.1%), or mediation (39%). This paper considers the gap between the commonly perceived harmfulness of NCII and support for action against perpetrators on the one hand, and the perceived isolation and lack of bystander support among victims on the other hand. The question thus becomes how to turn the high level of intolerance towards NCII into active bystanding of victims.

Authors

• Aurelie Gilen, University of Antwerp

• Michel Walrave, University of Antwerp

• Catherine Van de Heyning, University of Antwerp

• Mona Giacometti, University of Antwerp