TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-consensual sharing of personal sexually explicit imagery among young people in Australia
T2 - Results from an online survey
AU - Douglass, Caitlin H.
AU - Wright, Cassandra J.C.
AU - Davis, Angela C.
AU - Lim, Megan S.C.
N1 - Funding Information:
C. H. Douglass is supported through an Australian Government Research Training Program scholarship. A. C. Davis is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Postgraduate scholarship. C. J. C. Wright is supported by a NHMRC Early Career Fellowship and M. S. C. Lim by a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Victorian Operational Infrastructure Support Program received by the Burnet Institute.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 CSIRO.
PY - 2020/3
Y1 - 2020/3
N2 - Consensual sharing of personal sexually explicit imagery (SEI) is part of young people's sexual practise however, harms arise if content is shared without consent. Australians aged 15-29 years were recruited for an online survey. Participants indicated if they had ever sent SEI of themselves to someone else, received SEI directly from the person in the imagery and whether they thought it was illegal to forward SEI without consent. Participants reported whether anyone shared their SEI without permission, if they told people, made official reports or if there were consequences for perpetrator(s). Logistic regression was used to identify associations between victimisation, gender, age group, sexual identity and knowledge of SEI-related law. In total, 1007 participants (65% female, mean age 23 years, 67% heterosexual) were recruited 63% sent personal SEI to another person, 71% received SEI from the person pictured and 77% correctly identified it is illegal to forward SEI without consent. Thirteen percent (n = 126) indicated another person forwarded personal SEI without consent. In univariate analysis, victimisation was associated with identifying as non-heterosexual (odds ratio = 1.51, confidence interval = 1.03-2.22), but was independent from age group, gender and knowledge. In multivariate analysis, sexual identity, age group, gender and knowledge were not significantly associated with victimisation. Among participants who experienced non-consensual sharing of personal SEI, 63% told friends, 10% told family, 93% made no official report and 94% reported no consequences for perpetrator(s). Initiatives are needed to promote legal rights and enable young people to seek support.
AB - Consensual sharing of personal sexually explicit imagery (SEI) is part of young people's sexual practise however, harms arise if content is shared without consent. Australians aged 15-29 years were recruited for an online survey. Participants indicated if they had ever sent SEI of themselves to someone else, received SEI directly from the person in the imagery and whether they thought it was illegal to forward SEI without consent. Participants reported whether anyone shared their SEI without permission, if they told people, made official reports or if there were consequences for perpetrator(s). Logistic regression was used to identify associations between victimisation, gender, age group, sexual identity and knowledge of SEI-related law. In total, 1007 participants (65% female, mean age 23 years, 67% heterosexual) were recruited 63% sent personal SEI to another person, 71% received SEI from the person pictured and 77% correctly identified it is illegal to forward SEI without consent. Thirteen percent (n = 126) indicated another person forwarded personal SEI without consent. In univariate analysis, victimisation was associated with identifying as non-heterosexual (odds ratio = 1.51, confidence interval = 1.03-2.22), but was independent from age group, gender and knowledge. In multivariate analysis, sexual identity, age group, gender and knowledge were not significantly associated with victimisation. Among participants who experienced non-consensual sharing of personal SEI, 63% told friends, 10% told family, 93% made no official report and 94% reported no consequences for perpetrator(s). Initiatives are needed to promote legal rights and enable young people to seek support.
KW - Internet
KW - public health
KW - risk behaviours
KW - sexual violence
KW - youth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081694994&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/SH19147
DO - 10.1071/SH19147
M3 - Article
C2 - 32135074
AN - SCOPUS:85081694994
VL - 17
SP - 182
EP - 186
JO - Sexual Health
JF - Sexual Health
SN - 1448-5028
IS - 2
ER -