British Columbia
Ministry of Attorney General
Bagong batas laban sa pag-share ng mga intimate image na walang permiso
VICTORIA – Ipinapakilala ng province ang intimate images protection act (batas para sa mga intimate image o malaswang litrato at video) para mas maprotektahan ang mga tao sa mapanganib na epekto ng pag-share ng mga intimate image (malaswang litrato at video) nang walang pahintulot o consent, at mapahusay ang hustisya para sa mga survivor ng sekswal na karahasan.
“Ang pagse-share ng iyong mga intimate image nang walang pahintulot ay isang pagtataksil na maaaring magkaroon ng nakapipinsalang epekto,” sabi ng Niki Sharma, Attorney General. “Ang mga biktima ay kadalasang masyadong nahihiyang magsumbong, at ang mga nagsusumbong naman ay kinakaharap ang mga limitado, kumplikado at mahal na legal na opsyon. Nagtatatag kami ng paraan para makamit ang hustisya para maibalik ng mga tao ang kontrol sa kanilang mga pribadong images at upang managot ang mga maysala.”
Under-reported ang mga insidente ng pag-share ng intimate images nang walang pahintulot dahil sa stigma, kahihiyan, at pagkakaroon ng akala na walang makabuluhan at may epekto na paraan ng remedyo. Subalit, ipinapakita ng pagsasaliksik na tumataas ang dami nito.
Noong 2020, iniulat ng Statistics Canada ang 80% pagtaas ng mga naiulat na insidente sa mga pulis ng mga non-consensual o walang pahintulot na pagse-share ng intimate images sa buong bansa kumpara sa nakaraang limang taon.
Sa pagitan ng mga taong 2014 at 2020, 48% ng mga kabataang biktima ng non-consensual na pagpapakalat ng intimate images ay nabiktima ng isang intimate partner o kaibigan. Para sa mahigit 36% ng mga kabataang biktima, ang naakusahan ay isang casual (hindi matalik) na kakilala.
“Matagal na panahon nang malawak ang epekto para sa ilang kabataan ang kahihiyan at panlalait na dulot ng pagkalat ng mga personal at intimate images,” sabi ni Carol Todd, na namatay ang anak na babaeng si Amanda sa pamamagitan ng suicide 10 taon ang nakalipas dahil sa cyber bullying at online sexual exploitation. “Sana makatulong ang lehislasyong ito sa mga kabataan na mabigyan ng mga suportang kailangan nila upang maibalik ang kontrol sa kanilang mga buhay at para sa pagsasagawa ng aksiyon laban sa mga krimeng ito tulad ng sexual exploitation o pagsasamantala.”
Malawak at pangmatagalan ang mga epekto ng pag-share ng intimate images nang walang consent ng isang tao. Kadalasan, nata-trap ang mga tao sa isang abusive o mapagsamantalang relasyon dahil sa mga banta ng partner na ipakalat ang intimate images na ito. Ang mga taong nakaranas ng ganitong uri ng sekswal na karahasan ay nag-uulat na sila ay nakakaramdam ng depresyon, kahihiyan o matinding kalungkutan. Maaaring matindi ang traumang naidudulot nito.
Sinasakop ng lehislasyong ito ang mga intimate images, halos hubad na mga litrato, videos, livestreams at digitally altered na litrato, kabilang ang mga video na kilala bilang deep fakes. Kapag naipasa, makakapagtatag ang lehislasyong ito ng isang bago at pinabilis na proseso para sa pagsasagawa ng isang legal na desisyon na ang isang intimate image ay nairekord o naipakalat nang walang consent o pahintulot, at pag-utos sa mga tao na itigil ang pagpapakalat o pagbabanta na ipakalat ang mga intimate images. Magbibigay ito ng rekurso sa mga menor de edad na magsagawa ng legal na aksyon upang matigil ang distribusyon ng kanilang mga pribadong litrato o video, at magbibigay rin ng isang mas malinaw at legal na paraan para sa mga kaso sa hukuman na humiling ng monetary damage o bayad para sa pinsalang naranasan. Pinapadali ng lehislasyong ito ang proseso para alisin ang mga litrato at video na ito sa internet.
“Dahil mas lumalaganap na ang paggamit ng digital device sa ating pag-araw-araw na gawain, mas maraming tao ang nagse-share ng intimate images sa isa’t isa. Ngunit kung ginagamit laban sa iyo ang iyong intimate images, ito ay paglabag sa tiwala na maaaring napakahirap na malutasan,” sabi ni Kelli paddon, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity. “Ang lehislasyong ito ay isang kritikal na bahagi ng ating pagsisikap upang mas masuportahan ang mga taong naapektuhan ng sekswal na karahasan.”
Upang suportahan ang lehislasyon, nagsisikap ang Civil Resolution Tribunal upang palawakin ang kanilang online portal upang matulungan ang mga taong matukoy ang kanilang mga legal na isyu, magbigay ng impormasyon tungkol sa karapatan ng mga tao, magbigay ng access sa mga self-help tools na magagamit kaagad upang masimulan ang pangremedyong aksiyon at magbigay koneksiyon sa mga suporta sa komunidad at mental health.
“Kung mayroong magse-share ng iyong mga pribadong litrato o video nang walang pahintulot o nagbabanta na i-share ang iyong images, hindi ka dapat mahiya o matakot,” sabi ni Nick Sandor, executive director ng Men’s Therapy Centre. “Ang mga teenager na lalaki o mga binatilyo ay mas nagiging biktima ng ganitong uri ng karahasan. Pero gusto kong malaman ng mga tao na mayroong mga suporta na available upang matulungan kang solusyunan ang mga epekto sa mental health at magsagawa ng mga legal na opsyon kung pipiliin mo itong gawin.”
Ang intimate images protection act ay isang bahagi ng isang multi-year at cross-government na action plan upang mapuksa ang gender-based violence (karahasan dahil sa kasarian).
Karagdagang Impormasyon:
Para sa karagdagang impormasyon tungkol sa Intimate Images Protection Act:
https://gov.bc.ca/ProtectingYourImages
Para mabasa ang mga suportang available para sa mga survivor ng gender-based violence, sexual assault o domestic violence (karahasan sa tahanan at pamilya): https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/public-safety/domestic-violence
Para magkaroon ng access sa mga resources at pagsasaliksik tungkol sa online sexual exploitation ng mga bata: https://cybertip.ca/en/
Makipag-ugnayan:
Ministry of Attorney General Media Relations
778 587-3237
To better protect people from the harmful effects of having their intimate images shared without their consent and improve access to justice for survivors of sexualized violence, the Province is introducing the intimate images protection act.
“Having your intimate images shared without your permission is a betrayal that can have devastating impacts,” said Niki Sharma, Attorney General. “Victims are often too ashamed to come forward and those who do are met with limited, complex and expensive legal options. We are building a path to justice for people to regain control of their private images and hold perpetrators to account.”
Incidents of sharing intimate images without consent are under-reported due to stigma, embarrassment and a prevailing presumption that there’s no meaningful avenue for redress. However, research indicates the numbers are increasing.
In 2020, Statistics Canada reported an 80% increase in incidents reported to police of non-consensual sharing of intimate images across the country compared to the previous five years.
Between 2014 and 2020, 48% of youth victims of non-consensual distribution of intimate images were victimized by an intimate partner or a friend. For more than 36% of youth victims, the accused was a casual acquaintance.
“For some young people, the embarrassment and ridicule that can come with the distribution of personal, intimate images can be all-encompassing,” said Carol Todd, whose teenage daughter Amanda died by suicide 10 years ago due to cyberbullying and online sexual exploitation. “I hope this legislation helps young people connect to the supports they need to take back control of their lives and ends the shame and blame that has kept people from taking action against crimes, such as sexual exploitation, for such a long time.”
The effects of having one’s intimate images shared without consent are wide-ranging and long-lasting. Often, people remain trapped in abusive relationships due to a partner’s threats to distribute intimate images. People who have experienced this type of sexualized violence report feeling depressed, humiliated or grief-stricken. The trauma can become overwhelming.
The legislation covers intimate images, near-nude images, videos, livestreams and digitally altered images, including videos known as deep fakes. If passed, the legislation will create a new, fast-track process for getting a legal decision that an intimate image was recorded or distributed without consent and ordering people to stop distributing or threatening to distribute intimate images. It will provide recourse for minors to pursue legal action to stop the distribution of their private images and will also offer a clearer, legal avenue for lawsuits to seek monetary damages for harms suffered. The legislation streamlines the process for getting images taken off the internet.
“As our lives become increasingly digital, more people are sharing intimate images with each other. But when your intimate images are used against you, that’s a violation of trust that can be extremely difficult to overcome,” said Kelli Paddon, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity. “This legislation is a critical part of our work to better support people impacted by sexualized violence.”
To support the legislation, the Civil Resolution Tribunal is working to expand its online portal to help people define their legal issues, provide information on their rights, access immediate self-help tools to begin remedial action and connect to community and mental-health supports.
“If someone shares your private images without your consent or threatens to share your images, you don’t need to be ashamed or afraid,” said Nick Sandor, executive director, Men’s Therapy Centre. “Young men and boys are increasingly finding themselves victims to this type of violence. But I want people to know there are supports available to help you deal with the mental-health impacts and exercise your legal options if you chose to do so.”
The intimate images protection act is part of a multi-year, cross-government action plan to help end gender-based violence.
Learn More:
To learn more about the Intimate Images Protection Act: https://gov.bc.ca/ProtectingYourImages
To read about supports available for survivors of gender-based violence, sexual assault or domestic violence:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/public-safety/domestic-violence
To access resources and research about the online sexual exploitation of children: https://cybertip.ca/en/
A backgrounder follows.
Backgrounders
Protecting people from having their intimate images shared without their consent
The intimate images protection act will help people who have their intimate images shared without their consent access the justice they need and get their images off the internet.
If passed, the legislation will:
- create a new, expedited process resulting in legal decisions and orders designed specifically to stop the distribution of intimate images without consent; and a more traditional civil action for survivors to seek monetary damages for harms suffered;
- enable people to apply for decisions and orders on behalf of someone who has died;
- include special provisions to give minors access to the legal tools and remedies designed to stop the distribution of their images;
- require wrongdoers, who are found to have distributed intimate images without consent, to make every reasonable effort to destroy all intimate images and remove them from the Internet, search engines and all forms of electronic communication;
- order any internet intermediaries, such as Facebook, Instagram or other online platforms, to remove the intimate image and de-index it from their search engines; and
- apply retrospectively to the date the act receives first reading by the legislative assembly.