Let cyberflashing legislation protect victims

SIR – This week the Government is expected to debate cyberflashing as part of the Online Safety Bill. The reality is that the proposed legislation is simply not enough for the thousands of women who are on the receiving end of unsolicited explicit sexual photographs.

This act of sexual harassment causes victims to feel violated and vulnerable. Like physical flashing, it can also lead to more violent crimes if left unchecked.

The proposed legislation puts the onus on the victim to prove harmful intent. Not only is this hard to prove but it also creates a major loophole in the law, allowing people – almost always men – to claim that an image was sent “in jest”.

To protect victims, we need cyberflashing legislation based on consent. This would make prosecution straightforward and the offence simple to prove, and result in alignment with the Government’s approach to other online image abuse.

There is public support for this change: over 16,000 adults in the UK recently signed a pledge, launched by the dating app Bumble, calling for the law to be based on consent.

We welcome legislation against cyberflashing. However, we believe this Bill does not do enough to protect victims. If a consent-based approach to cyberflashing isn’t included in the Bill, women will continue to feel unsafe, violated and vulnerable in both online and offline spaces.

An amendment proposing this approach will soon be considered by the House of Lords, and we urge ministers to adopt it.

Payton Iheme Vice-president of global public policy, Bumble Inc

Alex Towers Director of policy, BT Group

Ruth Davison CEO, Refuge

Hattie Brett Editor in chief, Grazia UK

Professor Clare Mcglynn KC

Baroness Burt of Solihull (Lib Dem)

Baroness Featherstone (Lib Dem)

Baroness Gohir (Crossbench) CEO, Muslim Women’s Network