Surge in Scots seeking 'revenge porn' advice
Demand for online advice for people affected by so-called 'revenge porn' has more than doubled in a year according to the charity Citzens Advice Scotland.
Sharing intimate images or video without consent, or threatening to do so, is illegal in Scotland under legislation that came into force in 2017.
People convicted of such an offence can face up to five years behind bars.
The Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act makes it a crime to share intimate images or videos, send them to another person, upload them to a website, or threaten to do this, without the consent of those featured.
Citizens Advice Scotland said traffic to its online advice page on what to do if people find intimate images have been shared without their consent has doubled within the past year.
Between December 2018 and May 2019, the page had around 13,000 unique page views, jumping to more than 30,000 in the following six months.
The charity's communities spokeswoman Gillian Fyfe said: "The past year has seen a spike in traffic to our Advice for Scotland page around intimate images being shared without people's consent.
"The relevant law here is still fairly new so it's important that people know and understand that sharing intimate images is a crime in Scotland.
"No matter why an image or video was taken or sent, most people don't expect or want them being shared more widely.
"The experience can be incredibly distressing, and many won't want to speak out, but people should know that if they have been a victim of this crime they have rights, and can report it to the police.''
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