NNEDV Joins New National Partnership to Address Image-Based Abuse

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is excited to be a partner in a new working group that will focus on addressing image-based abuse. The partnership, led by NNEDV’s Safety Net Project, the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI), and the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), will bring together victim service advocates, privacy experts, and technology companies to curb the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images and the rapid growth of AI-generated content (also known as synthetic images, digital sexual forgeries, or deepfakes). This partnership comes in response to a call to action by the White House Gender Policy Council and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

AI-generated content has been a rapidly growing concern. These are fake images that are incredibly realistic and can have the same negative impacts when this technology is used to create fake intimate or sexual content with someone’s likeness. According to Deeptrace, an organization that detects and monitors this type of content, over 90% of AI-generated or manipulated videos online are sexually explicit and many of these may have been created without the consent or knowledge of those depicted.

The nonconsensual distribution of intimate images (NDII) has been a significant concern for survivors for many years, and this tactic of abuse can present in different ways. Images taken and shared in the context of a trusting relationship are often later weaponized as a tool for harassment, intimidation, extortion, and control. In other situations, images may have been originally taken without consent—either without the victim’s knowledge, or by coercion. Research shows that this tactic of abuse has significant and long-lasting effects, including the loss of community and employment, as well as substantial mental health impacts. CCRI has been operating a national Image Abuse Helpline for survivors (844-878-2274) and a Safety Center for many years and continues to provide survivors with resources and guidance around image-based abuse.

To learn more about the new partnership, see the CDT press release. For more information about these forms of abuse, see our resources on Image-Based Abuse and CCRI’s Safety Center.