The number of Brits visiting the Revenge Porn Helpline’s website has nearly doubled during that past four weeks amid a lockdown implemented to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the United Kingdom, BBC reported on Saturday.
The service has reportedly opened more than 200 intimate image abuse cases in the last 30 days, beginning 23 March, the highest record in comparison to in any previous equal period.
Intimate image abuse was recognized as a criminal offence for the first time in 2015, after it was placed under section 33 of the UK’s Criminal Justice and Courts Act.
Clare McGlynn, professor of law at Durham University, suggested that the reason of the unprecedented rise of cases could be linked to “the increased use of the internet and social media, as well as heightened emotions” during the COVID-19 social distancing period, according to the report.
The Revenge Porn Helpline revealed that the majority of the new cases clearly originated in “an abusive or controlling relationship”.
“The level of distress caused shouldn't be underestimated. We are frequently hearing from people seeking our help that they are they are contemplating suicide or self-harm, the impact of the abuse seems so overwhelming,” said Sophie Mortimer, manager of the Revenge Porn Helpline, cited by BBC.
Charities in the UK are concerned about the likelihood of image abuse arising due of the increase in “sexting” among couples isolating in different places during the lockdown, according to the report.
On 23 March, the United Kingdom implemented a nation-wide lockdown in a bid to slow the rapid spread of the COVID-19.
As of Friday, the total number of COVID-19 patients in the UK had surpassed 144,000, with 19,566 people dead of the disease, according to data presented by a Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard.
