Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking in response to the recommendations made by the Law Commission in February 2021 on improving protections for victims whose intimate images are taken or shared without their consent.

Activities involving the sharing of intimate images are captured by existing offences for example those tackling “revenge pornography”, harassment, malicious communications, blackmail, and “coercive or controlling behaviour”.

To further strengthen the law in this area the Government has announced it is to extend the “revenge pornography” offence to capture those who threaten to disclose such material. Provisions to extend the parameters of the offence in this manner were introduced in the Domestic Abuse Bill.

The provisions will come into force two months after Royal Assent.

However, the Government recognises that there is concern over the growth of new technology and the impact on the law in this area.

We have asked the Law Commission to review the law in this area to ensure victims are properly protected. The Law Commission published a public consultation to this review on 26 February this year, with a view to announcing findings later this year, which the Government will consider carefully.

The consultation period ends on 27 May and I should like to encourage people to take part in that important public engagement.

The Government awaits the Law Commission’s findings with interest.