Online Sexual violence

What Is Online Sexual Violence?

Online sexual violence refers to any sexually exploitative act carried out through digital means without the consent of one of the parties. This can include recording, distribution, extortion, harassment, or violation of privacy.

Online sexual violence refers to sexually exploitative acts carried out via digital tools without consent: recording, distribution, extortion, harassment, privacy violations, coercion and more. Although such assaults usually do not involve physical contact, their psychological consequences are similar to “offline” sexual violence, while their unique characteristics can negatively affect the survivor’s life in additional ways.

Today, online sexual violence is widespread, affecting people of all genders and ages, including children and adolescents.

This page outlines the different forms of online sexual violence, its unique characteristics, the relevant legal framework, and the options available for those who have experienced it.

Common Forms of Online Sexual Violence

While technology continues to evolve and new forms emerge, several common patterns can be identified:

• Non-consensual intimate image (NCII) abuse : Sharing private sexual images or videos without permission, whether the original recording was consensual or not. This also includes AI-generated or synthetic sexual imagery. Distribution may include identifying details or be anonymous.

Example: So-called “revenge porn” – posting a former partner’s nude images with identifying information; creating a deepfake sexual video and sharing it in WhatsApp or Telegram groups.

• Covert or voyeuristic sexual recording: Recording sexual activity without the other person’s knowledge or consent, including placing hidden cameras in private spaces such as bedrooms or bathrooms.

Example: Secretly filming a sexual act; installing a hidden camera in a living room or shower.

• Sexual extortion (sextortion): Pressuring someone to share sexual content or perform another act by using sexual materials against them. This can involve threats, intimidation, or exploiting personal information already in the perpetrator’s possession.

Example: Demanding nude images while threatening to create and spread AI-generated sexual fakes; demanding money using real or fabricated sexual images or videos.

• Technology-facilitated coercion to perform sexual acts: Situations where the perpetrator causes the person to perform sexual acts on themselves via digital communication.

Example: Persuading a minor below the age of consent to perform sexual acts on camera; engaging in virtual sexual activity while impersonating someone in a way that prevents free, informed consent.

• Online grooming: Establishing and intensifying a relationship with a child to build trust that enables sexual exploitation.

Example: Contacting a child through social media and maintaining a seemingly friendly relationship until the child is coerced into sexual activity online or in an in-person meeting.

• Online sexual harassment: Repeated unwanted sexual communications, offensive messages, or persistent contact against the person’s wishes.

Example: Sending unsolicited genital images; repeated sexual propositions; publishing sexually explicit posts that target the person directly.

What Makes Online Sexual Violence Different?

• No “clear end”: Once content is shared, it can resurface for years, prolonging harm and anxiety.
• Public exposure: Survivors may not know who saw the material, which can damage relationships and lead to social withdrawal.
• Delayed discovery: Many only learn later that content was created or shared, intensifying the sense of lost control.

What does Israeli law say about online sexual violence?

In Israel, online sexual harm is addressed through several laws intended to stop the abuse, protect survivors, and hold offenders accountable. However, technology often develops faster than legislation, so not every scenario is fully covered yet.

These are the main laws used to prosecute online sexual harm as criminal offenses. In parallel, a civil claim may be available for violations of these laws.

• “Video Law”  – Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law, § 3(a)(5a): Prohibits publishing a photo, video, or audio recording of a sexual nature without consent when the publication is likely to humiliate or demean the person depicted. Courts treat such distribution as sexual harassment and also as an invasion of privacy, with penalties that can reach up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
• Privacy Protection Law, § 2(3): Prohibits photographing a person in a private domain without their knowledge and consent. Willful invasion of privacy under this section carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment.
• Penal Code (selected offenses): Used for technology-facilitated sexual offenses, including coercion to perform sexual acts via remote communication, extortion, and certain covert sexual recordings. Israel’s Supreme Court has recognized cases where offenders caused minors to perform sexual acts remotely, fitting sexual-offense provisions.
• Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law – general prohibitions: Prohibits repeated sexual propositions, sexual references, indecent acts, and threats used to obtain sexual conduct. Penalties depend on the specific subsection and circumstances. The publication of sexual images without consent is among the most severe applications and can reach 5 years as noted above.

What Can You Do If You Experience Online Sexual Violence?

• Reach out for support, guidance, and legal accompaniment:

You can contact our Sexual Assault Crisis Centers for emotional support and step-by-step help with takedowns and reporting.

If the harm involves a minor under 18, you can also contact Hotline 105 – Israel’s Child Online Protection Bureau.

• Ask trusted organizations to help with content removal:

  • MA’AT Project (NGO) : supports survivors of distribution offenses by using OSINT to identify uploaders, remove harmful content, and build evidence for criminal or civil action. Works alongside Crisis Centers.
  • Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL) – Internet Safety Hotline : assists Israeli users with reporting and removing harmful online content.
  • Take It Down: a National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) tool for people under 18, or for content created when the person was under 18. It uses hashing so participating platforms can find and remove matches. See the list of participating platforms.
  • StopNCII.org:  a hash-based removal tool for adults 18+. Participating platforms include, for example, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, OnlyFans, Threads, Snap, and Pornhub.
• Preserve evidence:

If you discover distribution against you, take screenshots and record dates, URLs, usernames, and platforms. This documentation can support platform reports, police complaints, or civil claims now or later.

• Consider legal action:

You may file a criminal complaint regarding online sexual harm and/or a civil claim against the distributor. Crisis Centers can accompany you throughout reporting and legal processes.