Online revenge described as form of domestic abuse

Police in Tayside have investigated more than 40 alleged revenge porn crimes in under two years.

Since 2014, a total of 41 incidents have been logged by officers in our region relating to explicit images or video said to have been distributed without the consent of the person involved.

One incident allegedly involved the taking, possessing, publishing or distributing indecent photos of children.

Out of all 41 potential victims, 36 were adult women, three involved men and two included girls under 16.

Those accused of such alleged offences were 32 men, six women and one boy under the age of 16.

Cordelia O’Neill, external affairs officer for Scottish Women’s Aid, said that those allegedly distributing revenge porn images and videos were often using it as one of many forms of domestic abuse.

She said: “There’s no doubt that this is a form of domestic abuse.

“If there’s abuse of power, it is often linked to a wider pattern of abuse.

“We often see it as part of a problem with domestic violence.

“Revenge porn is just one form of controlling someone else often a partner.”