A MAN has been charged after he allegedly distributed intimate images and videos of his former girlfriend without her permission.
The 35-year-old Byford man is accused of sending the private material to the woman’s relatives and sharing some publicly on a pornographic website.
The man allegedly sent dozens of text messages to the woman, threatening to release more of the sexually explicit material.
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READ NOWPolice will allege the videos and images had been taken consensually, but were circulated without permission in December 2019 after the relationship broke down.
The woman, who is living overseas, complained to the Australian Federal Police in December about the man’s alleged behavior.
AFP investigators executed a search warrant at the man’s Byford home on December 22 and seized a number of electronic devices.
The man is expected to face Perth Magistrate’s Court for the first time today charged with one count of aggravated use of a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence, involving the transmission and publication or distribution of material of a private sexual nature.
The maximum penalty for this offence is five years imprisonment.
AFP Acting Commander for WA Timothy Underhill said there was a growing prevalence of image-based abuse and these crimes can be devastating for victims.
Acting Commander Underhill said authorities encourage anyone who falls victim to image-based abuse to report the matter to authorities.
“We also encourage people to seek help from a trusted relative, friend or professional support service – it can be a complex situation, but nothing is so bad that you cannot tell someone,” he said.
Anyone who wants help to have intimate images removed from the internet should contact the eSafety Commissioner.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said eSafety has helped more than 2,100 victims have their intimate images removed from the internet since 2017.
“We have a 90 per cent success rate in getting intimate images down from more than 150 overseas sites,” she said.
If you are the victim of image-based abuse, consider the following course of action:
- do not send any more images or videos or give in to any other demands
- get support from a trusted friend or family member, or professional support services
- collect as much evidence as you can, including screenshots, URLs or any other records
- report the matter to police
- if you are worried about your physical safety, call Triple Zero (000).
For more information about image-based abuse or for help with removal of intimate content posted online, contact the eSafety Commissioner.