Key Takeaways
- Sharing sexually explicit images of someone without consent is abuse whether the images are real or fake, and the term “revenge porn” can wrongly suggest the victim provoked it.
- Every state now has a criminal law addressing nonconsensual intimate images, and victims may also seek protective orders and sue for damages, including under a federal civil remedy.
- Under the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act, covered online platforms must remove reported nonconsensual intimate images within 48 hours of a valid request.
What can you do if someone shares intimate images of you online without your consent? For many victims, the harm reaches far beyond embarrassment, affecting their jobs, their safety, and their sense of security.
In this TalksOnLaw Brief, Eboni K. Williams, a lawyer, journalist, and longtime advocate for domestic abuse survivors, explains what cybersexual abuse is and the legal tools victims can use to confront their abusers. The video draws on insights from public interest and pro bono attorneys and was made in partnership with Sanctuary for Families and Safe Horizon, with support from the pro bono department of Davis Polk.
What Is Cybersexual Abuse?
Williams opens with the story of Laura, a 21-year-old New Yorker whose former boyfriend posted intimate photos and videos of her online after their breakup. The posts went viral, and Laura ultimately quit her job and left the state. This conduct, Williams explains, is cybersexual abuse, more commonly called revenge porn. Any time sexually graphic images are shared without someone’s consent, that is abuse. She cautions that the term “revenge porn” can imply the victim did something to provoke it, which is not true. Cybersexual abuse can involve real or fake images, and it can include sharing real or invented details about a person’s sexual history.
Criminal, Family Court, and Civil Remedies
State laws vary widely. Criminal charges may fall under harassment, nonconsensual pornography, or invasion-of-privacy statutes, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. Williams notes that California was an early mover, enacting a 2013 law that makes it a misdemeanor to distribute a sexually explicit image without consent when doing so is likely to cause emotional distress, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. New York adopted its law in 2019, making unlawful dissemination of an intimate image a class A misdemeanor. Some states treat repeat offenses, or cases involving minors, as felonies. Beyond criminal law, victims may seek a protective order in family court and, in some states, sue for money damages.
Getting Images Taken Down
For many victims, the first priority is removal. Williams explains that if you took the picture yourself, you may be able to use copyright law. You can also report content that violates a platform’s terms of service. She encourages anyone who thinks they may be a victim to seek help from an attorney or an advocacy organization.
What to Know Now
The legal tools Williams describes have grown stronger. Massachusetts enacted its law in 2024 and South Carolina in 2025, so every state now addresses the conduct, and several newer laws expressly cover AI-generated images. Since 2022, federal law has allowed victims to sue anyone who knowingly or recklessly discloses their intimate images without consent, for actual damages or $150,000 in liquidated damages plus attorney’s fees, and to seek a court order stopping further disclosure. The TAKE IT DOWN Act, signed in May 2025, makes it a federal crime to knowingly publish nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated forgeries, and requires covered platforms to remove reported images within 48 hours; the Federal Trade Commission began enforcing the platform requirements in May 2026. Supporters say fast removal is essential for victims, while some free-speech advocates worry the takedown system could be misused against lawful content.
