The Eveline affair
Last October, intimate images of a sexual nature of Flemish television presenters made the rounds on social networks. These personalities had been deceived by a man, GR, who had posed as a certain “Eveline” and who had widely distributed these images without their authorization. This sharing, known as NCII (consensual distribution of sexual content), is considered a criminal offense. The investigation indicated that GR had numerous victims, some of whom could not be identified. He is in court today on several charges, including voyeurism and NCII.
What to do if intimate images are posted on social media?
Since 2020, the Institute has been competent to help victims of non-consensual distribution of sexual content. In 2023, the Institute received more than 160 reports of NCII and voyeurism, which marks a significant increase compared to previous years. To have the images removed, the Institute actively collaborates with platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouPorn.
The Institute also published a online manual through which victims can anonymously report problematic images and have them removed. However, this remains a complicated mission. “NWe help victims have their intimate images removed » declares Liesbet, deputy director of the Institute. “ But if these images start circulating on closed networks like WhatsApp or Signal, it is impossible to recover them. This is why it is essential to act quickly. » The Institute also provides legal advice, directs victims to appropriate support services and can, in certain cases, take legal action, as in the Eveline case.
The civil parties
Three men who were victims of the Eveline affair became civil parties, as did Toerisme Vlaanderen because GR had posed as an employee of their service. The Institute has become a civil party for five identified victims as well as numerous other unidentified victims.
“IThere is a real urgency to raise public awareness of NCII issues », insists Liesbet Stevens. “ Research shows that the emotional impact on victims is similar to that of physical sexual violence. The victims are plunged into a very distressing uncertainty: they do not know who saw these intimate images. They are afraid and often feel very humiliated. Additionally, victims are regularly criticized for putting themselves in such a situation because they sometimes shared their images with someone. This phenomenon is called “victim blaming”. This contributes to increasing guilt. There is often no concrete end to this suffering: the images can reappear at any time in their lives. It is therefore essential that we, as a society, work to raise awareness among the general public about this impact and the punishable nature of NCII.»
Remember that both the initial sharing of images and the subsequent transmission of these images is punishable. To strengthen prevention and information on online sexual violence, the Institute has developed a online toolbox.
Publicado anteriormente en Almouwatin.
