25 July 2026 · 5 min read
Is Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent a Crime in Australia?
By Charlie Wells, Founder
Two different questions worth separating
"Is this illegal?" and "can this be removed right now?" get asked as if they're the same question, but they lead down genuinely different paths — one through the criminal justice system, one through a platform or a civil regulator. Knowing which one you're actually asking helps you pick the right first step.
Yes, it's a criminal offence — federally and in every state and territory
Sharing an intimate image or video of someone without their consent is a criminal offence under both Commonwealth law (covering material shared using a carriage service, such as the internet or a phone network) and dedicated legislation in every Australian state and territory. This includes images that were originally shared consensually but later distributed without permission, and threats to share such material, not just the act itself.
What a criminal report actually involves
Reporting to police means providing a statement and whatever evidence you have — screenshots, URLs, account details, dates — and the matter proceeds, or doesn't, through the standard criminal process: investigation, potential charges, and, if it gets that far, a court outcome. It's the appropriate path for holding the person who shared it accountable, but it isn't fast, and it isn't primarily built around taking the content down quickly.
The eSafety Commissioner's civil scheme is a separate, faster option
Under the Online Safety Act 2021, the eSafety Commissioner runs a civil image-based abuse scheme that can issue removal notices directly to a platform or the person who posted it, without needing a criminal conviction, and generally on a faster timeline than a police investigation. It exists specifically because getting content down quickly and holding someone criminally accountable are different problems with different solutions.
Neither path guarantees a timeline, and you can run both at once
A police report doesn't preclude an eSafety complaint, and an eSafety complaint doesn't preclude a police report — they're independent processes, and using one doesn't forfeit the other. What neither covers on its own is direct removal action against every platform hosting the content, particularly ones outside eSafety's reach or slow to act on a formal notice.
Where this leaves you
If content is live right now, the fastest practical step is usually a direct, evidence-led removal request to wherever it's posted — in parallel with, not instead of, a police report or an eSafety complaint if you choose to pursue either. Reputect's Sensitive Content Removal handles that removal piece specifically: confidential, free to assess, and no fee unless the content actually comes down.
None of this is legal advice
This is general information, not a substitute for advice from a lawyer or your local police about your specific situation — Australian law varies by state and does change over time, and the right next step depends on details a general guide like this one can't account for.
Related: Sensitive Content Removal
See Sensitive Content RemovalKeep reading
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Someone Shared Your Intimate Images Without Consent: What to Do First
The first few hours matter most. A practical, judgment-free checklist — document, report, and get it removed — before anything else.