TFGBV Taxonomy
Impact Type:

Sexual harm

Last Updated 6/4/25
Definition: Sexual harm, trauma, re-victimization through sexual content, and exploitation facilitated through digital technology, including non-consensual sexual content, sexual coercion, and sexual autonomy violations.
Abuse Types:
Sexual extortion Intimate image abuse (IIA) Deceptive synthetic media
Perpetrator Intents:
Sexual gratification Compliance Silence Entertainment Punitive intent
Targets:
Private individual Public figure
Mitigation Strategies:
Prioritized reporting User-controlled content filters Real-time prompts for reconsideration

Synonyms

Sexual exploitation, Sexual trauma, Sexual violence

Examples

  • Financial sextortion
  • Intimate image abuse using deepfakes
  • Threats of sexual violence

Description

Sexual impacts encompass direct sexual exploitation, trauma from non-consensual sexual content, and broader effects on sexual autonomy and intimate relationships. Research shows these harms disproportionately affect women and girls, with " 99% of [deepfake pornography] depicts women" (eSafety Commissioner, 2024). The trauma extends beyond immediate exploitation - victims often experience lasting impacts on their ability to form intimate relationships and maintain sexual autonomy. The digital nature means re-victimization through continued circulation, with NCMEC noting that survivors' CSAM "continues to be distributed thousands and tens of thousands of times a year, even many years after their recovery" (OJJDP, 2022).

References

  • Australian eSafety Commissioner. (2024, September). Technology, gendered violence and Safety by Design: An industry guide for addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence through Safety by Design. Australian ESafety Commissioner. https://www.esafety.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/SafetyByDesign-technology-facilitated-gender-based-violence-industry-guide.pdf
  • The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). (2022). 2022 Report to the Committees on Appropriations National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Transparency. https://www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/OJJDP-NCMEC-Transparency_2022-Calendar-Year.pdf
  • Thorn and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). (2024). Trends in Financial Sextortion An investigation of sextortion reports in NCMEC CyberTipline data. https://info.thorn.org/hubfs/Research/Thorn_TrendsInFinancialSextortion_June2024.pdf
  • Posetti, J., & Shabbir, N. (2022). The Chilling: a Global Study of Online Violence against Women Journalists. https://www.icfj.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/ICFJ%20Unesco_TheChilling_OnlineViolence.pdf
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