[ad_1]
A bill aimed at criminalizing the distribution of intimate images without consent passed all stages of the Seanad and will now be sent to the president for enactment.
The bill on harassment, harmful communications and related crimes introduces two new crimes to address the non-consensual distribution of intimate images with an unlimited fine and / or up to seven years in prison.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said that taking or sharing intimate images without consent is abuse and “will not be tolerated.”
“This new legislation will give An Garda Síochána the tools it needs to ensure that those who commit this abusive crime can be prosecuted and, if prosecuted, our Courts will have available sentences that reflect the level of harm these crimes cause to his victims, “Minister McEntee said.
The bill, also known as Coco’s Law by Nicole Fox, who died by suicide after years of online harassment, was first introduced to the Dáil by Labor’s Brendan Howlin in 2017.
As a spokesman for Labor justice, Howlin said the legislation “will make the Internet a safer place.”
“We are all aware of the often tragic consequences of online harassment and image-based sexual abuse, and the passage of this important bill will ensure that the perpetrators of this vile abuse are brought to justice,” he said.
A long campaign by Nicole’s mother, Jackie Fox, follows.
Minister McEntee said: “Nicole and Jackie are one of the main reasons I was determined to keep my promise that the bill would go through the Dáil and the Seanad before Christmas. Nicole’s memory and Jackie’s campaign to honor it, they are recognized in the explanatory memorandum that accompanies the legislation “.
Coco’s Law has passed. This new legislation will make it a crime to share intimate images without someone’s consent. It is abuse and should never be tolerated. It is up to all of us to call and report this type of behavior when we find it. #NoToleranceForOnlineAbuse pic.twitter.com/42zAh7YJRv
– Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) December 18, 2020
The bill criminalizes the taking, distribution, publication or threat of distributing intimate images without consent and with the intention of causing harm to the victim and will carry a maximum penalty of unlimited fine and / or seven years in prison.
The second offense will deal with the taking, distribution or publication of intimate images without consent without the requirement that the person intended to cause harm to the victim and will entail a maximum penalty of € 5,000 and / or a 12-month fine. prison.
It will be irrelevant that a person has given their consent to the taking of an image if it is subsequently published or distributed without their consent.
It will be an aggravating factor for the purposes of the sentence if the perpetrator has or had an intimate relationship with the victim of the crime.
The legislation will update existing harassment legislation by broadening the scope of the crime of harassment to cover all forms of persistent communication about a person, not just indecent images, and to increase the sentence from seven to ten years to reflect the harm it can cause. . for the most serious forms of harassment.
Earlier this year, the Department of Communications, Climate Action, and the Environment proposed separate legislation to include a provision for an online safety commissioner.
[ad_2]