From Agreement to Action: Strengthening Global Responses to NCII and Violence Against Women and Girls

From Agreement to Action: Strengthening Global Responses to NCII and Violence Against Women and Girls

Room: R305

Time: 14:00 to 15:00, 26 October 2025

Organizer: FCDO – UK

Speaker list:

• – Leona Hulshof – Whyte UK (introduction)
• – Mr David Wright – SWGFL (moderator)
• Panellists:
• – HE Marc Knapper – United States of America
• – HE Claudio Peguero – Dominican Republic Mr John Evans – UK
• – Ms Louise Taylor GI-TOC
• – Ms Cristiana Nador – INTERPOL

Side Event Description: At the occasion of the signature of the UN Cybercrime Treaty, the UK urges global partners to address the growing crisis of non-consensual intimate image (NCII) sharing—commonly known as “revenge porn.” This gendered form of online abuse disproportionately affects women and girls and demands coordinated international action due to its scale, complexity, and cross-border nature. The UN Cybercrime Convention marks a new era. For the first time, Article 16 requires states to criminalise NCII sharing. The UK is committed to supporting global efforts to protect individuals from intimate image exploitation and ensure digital safety, offering its legislative experience to aid and collaboration. 

The UK was among the first to criminalise NCII sharing in 2015, targeting the disclosure of private sexual images without consent and with intent to cause distress. In 2021, the law expanded to include threats to disclose such material. However, requiring proof of intent excluded many victims. The rise of AI-generated imagery and viral content has exposed enforcement gaps. The UK’s Online Safety Act introduced new offences that criminalise NCII sharing regardless of intent, recognising harm in the act itself and mandating tech platforms to proactively detect and remove abusive content. Data from the South West Grid for Learning’s Revenge Porn Helpline showed a 20.9% rise in reports in 2024. Alarmingly, victims report dissatisfaction with law enforcement, with women disproportionately affected. This reflects systemic gaps in police training, digital evidence handling, and trauma-informed response. Tools such as StopNCII helps tackle the re-upload of intimate images, but technology alone is insufficient. We must harmonise legal definitions, embed platform accountability, and ensure NCII abuse is treated as a serious violation of privacy and dignity. This event will feature UK Government and expert speakers. The UK welcomes collaboration and broader international perspectives.

Expected Participants: 36-70 people