Deepfakes. Sextortion. Revenge porn.
No matter what you call it, tech-enabled sexual abuse is harmful and unethical—and it should be a crime in every state.
What Is Tech-Enabled Sexual Abuse?
Tech-enabled sexual abuse is any sexually abusive or exploitative behavior carried out using technology tools or online platforms, including artificial intelligence (AI).
FACT: Tech-enabled sexual abuse is NOT pornography. It is a form of sexual violence, and in many cases, it is a crim
Consent & Technology
Consent is the line between intimacy and abuse. If you didn’t say “yes”—freely and clearly—then it’s not consensual.
You cannot give consent if you are:
- Underage
- Intoxicated or incapacitated
- Asleep or unconscious
- Under intimidation, threat, or unequal power dynamics
FACT: Consent can be withdrawn at any time. Even if you shared something willingly, that doesn’t mean someone else has the right to share, alter, or use it against you.
“I recently watched the reunion episode of a reality dating show where a woman was crying as she shared that her match had filmed them in bed together without her knowledge. I was stunned, thinking, ‘That’s a sexual assault, and they’re just talking about it on TV like it’s no big deal.’”
– C. Kimberly Toms, survivor
Types of Tech-Enabled Sexual Abuse
Perpetrators use a variety of manipulative and abusive methods to groom, coerce, and abuse individuals online. Because technology progresses so quickly, not all of these behaviors are illegal (yet)—but they are all harmful.
- Catfishing: Pretending to be someone else online to deceive someone into entering a relationship or sharing intimate content
- Child sexual abuse material (CSAM): Any image, video, or content that depicts the sexual exploitation of minors. CSAM includes both real imagery and AI-generated or manipulated imagery. Immediately report all child sexual exploitation to the CyberTipline.
- Cyberbullying and cyberstalking: Threatening, harassing, or tracking someone online without their permission
- Deepfakes:* AI-generated and AI-manipulated photos, videos, or audio that depict someone in explicit or compromising situations without their consent
- Hacking: Stealing private images or information by breaking into personal accounts or devices
“[The perpetrator’s] surveillance of me started the day we met. He copied down my license plate and started watching me through my devices that same day. He hacked into my Wi-Fi and would spy on me through my computer. It was shocking to learn how much surveillance he had done.”
– C. Kimberly Toms, survivor
- Image-based sexual assault (IBSA): Sexually explicit visual content that’s created or shared without the subject’s consent
- Non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII): Sexually explicit visual content that’s created or shared without the subject’s consent
- Revenge porn: Sharing real intimate photos or videos without the subject’s consent, often as retaliation or blackmail. “Revenge porn” is NOT pornography. It is abuse.
- Sextortion: Using threats to distribute intimate content to coerce victims into sharing more photos or videos, money, or personal favors
*About the Term “Deepfake”
In 2017, a Reddit user called @deepfake shared an advanced face-swapping technology in a /deepfakes subreddit, enabling online predators to create thousands of non-consensual explicit videos targeting women.
The Impacts of Tech-Enabled Sexual Abuse
The impact of tech-enabled sexual abuse doesn’t end when the content is posted.
Every time a video is shared, viewed, or downloaded, the abuse continues. Victims are often retraumatized by the loss of control over their bodies, privacy, and identities. And unlike some forms of abuse, TESA leaves a digital footprint that can follow survivors for years—or even a lifetime.
Survivors may experience:
- Long-term distrust in relationships
- Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Social withdrawal or isolation
- Career or academic setbacks
- Harassment and threats from strangers
“Because I’ve experienced tech-enabled sexual abuse, being on camera for my work is a terrifying experience. When you’re in a virtual meeting, you’re opening up your Wi-Fi, opening up your camera, and letting all the guards down.”
– C. Kimberly Toms, survivor
Children & Tech-Enabled Sexual Abuse
More and more kids, tweens, and teens are being targeted by technology-based sexual abuses. One of these crimes is known as CSAM: child sexual abuse material.
CSAM (pronounced “see-sam”) includes all visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct involving minors. It is always illegal to create, share, or possess CSAM.
- You may have heard this content referred to as “child pornography,” but “pornography” implies consent—and minors cannot legally consent to participating in pornographic material. “Child porn” is actually CSAM, a crime that anonymizes and normalizes pedophilia, child abuse, and trafficking.
What You Can Do
- Protect yourself. There’s no way to guarantee your safety from tech-enabled sexual abuse, but you can take steps to stay safer online.
- Reach out. You can contact RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline by phone, chat, or text. It’s free, anonymous, and available 24/7.
- Report the crime. Learn about your reporting options and what to expect from the criminal justice system. Immediately report all child sexual exploitation to the CyberTipline.
You Deserve Safety & Respect—Online & Off
Tech-enabled sexual abuse is not your fault. It’s not a mistake. It’s not just something that “happens.” Tech-enabled sexual abuse is a violation—of your agency, your autonomy, and your dignity.
But you are not powerless. You are not alone. And there is help.
Together, we can demand better protections, support survivors, and build a digital world rooted in consent, accountability, and respect.
Last updated: July 10, 2025