Stronger protections coming for people affected by intimate-image abuse

“The IIPA has already proven to be an effective platform to help victims of sexualized violence get the justice they deserve,” said Niki Sharma, Attorney General. “To further strengthen the law, these amendments will allow cabinet to raise the ceiling on fines, and I intend to recommend it be set at $75,000, 14 times higher than the current limit. This will send a strong message to would-be offenders – sharing intimate images without consent is unacceptable in B.C. and will have serious consequences.”

“This type of sexualized violence can isolate people, cause intense shame and helplessness and lead to long-term trauma,” said Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity. “Young people and women are among the most likely to have their intimate images shared against their will or be extorted with threats to do so. These new changes will give them more options to decide what justice looks like and help them regain autonomy over their digital presence and repair the damage to their sense of safety.”

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