Online and AI-Assisted Sexual Abuse

Deepfakes.

Revenge porn.

Digital sexual assault.

Synthetic media abuse.

No matter what you call it, online sexual abuse is harmful, unethical, and should be a crime in every state.

FACT: Nonconsensual "pornography" is sexual violence.

The abuse of a person’s image or voice can cause emotional pain that lasts a lifetime.

When perpetrators use real or AI-generated images, videos, or audio to depict intimate or explicit content without someone's consent, they inflict lasting harm on unconsenting individuals and rob them of control over their likeness and voice. Every time someone shares or copies this nonconsensual material, they perpetuate the abuse.

Because technology progresses so quickly, not all of these behaviors are illegal (yet)—but they are all abusive.

Perpetrators commonly use these tactics to groom, coerce, and sexually abuse children, teens, and adults online:

Catfishing: Lying about one’s identity online to initiate a romantic or sexual relationship
Cyberbullying: Using computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices to threaten, harass, or humiliate someone
Cyberstalking: Tracking someone’s location or persistently contacting someone against their will through text, email, social media, or other digital platforms
Deepfakes: Generating, distributing, and consuming AI-manipulated media that depicts someone in explicit content without their consent (also known as synthetic media abuse, AI-assisted sexual abuse, or nonconsensual manipulated intimate material)
Hacking: Breaking into someone’s online accounts or devices to steal their private images or information
Revenge Porn: Distributing sexual or intimate content of someone without their consent (also known as digital sexual assault or nonconsensual intimate images)
Sextortion: Threatening to distribute sexual or intimate content of someone without their consent

Consent and Online Safety

Consent is foundational to all interactions, even online.

You cannot give consent if you are:

Underage
Intoxicated or incapacitated by drugs or alcohol
Asleep or unconscious
Under intimidation or threat
Under unequal power dynamics

And remember: You can withdraw consent at any time if you change your mind.

Today's Fastest-Growing Online Dangers

Consent lies at the heart of two rapidly expanding online abuses:

1. "Deepfakes" - AI-Assisted Sexual Abuse - Nonconsensual Manipulated Intimate Material (NCMIM)

Q: What is a “deepfake”?

A: A deepfake depicts people doing and saying things they never actually did or said. Deepfakes look and sound like authentically captured videos, photos, or audio recordings, but they are synthetic media—content made with AI tools that replace faces, manipulate movements, and synthesize speech. ^{2, 3}

Sexual predators use AI "deep learning" technology to generate depictions of people engaging in sexual acts without their consent.

When perpetrators generate explicit images of a minor, they create Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). This manipulated content contributes to the abuse of real children and threatens to anonymize and normalize pedophilia, child abuse, and trafficking.

Q: Why does RAINN prefer the terms "synthetic media abuse" or "nonconsensual manipulated intimate material"?

A: On November 2, 2017, an anonymous Reddit user called u/deepfake posted a deep learning algorithm for generating realistic—yet fake—nonconsensual pornographic videos. Online predators used the Reddit user's advanced face-swapping technology to victimize thousands of unsuspecting individuals, primarily women. ^{1, 3, 4}

Deepfake sex videos say to individuals that their bodies are not their own and can make it difficult to stay online, get or keep a job, and feel safe.

^{– Danielle Citron, Professor of Law, Boston University and author of "Hate Crimes in Cyberspace"}

2. "Revenge Porn" - Digital Sexual Assault - Nonconsensual Intimate Images (NCII)

Q: What is "revenge porn"?

A: “Revenge porn” is a common term for sexually explicit photos or videos that are distributed without the depicted person's consent. The abusive tactic is most frequently used by someone's current or former romantic partner to blackmail or retaliate against them.

Q: Why does RAINN prefer the terms "digital sexual assault" or "nonconsensual intimate images"?

A: We recognize that there are informed adults who willingly participate in the creation and distribution of pornographic media. When a person does not or cannot consent to the creation or distribution of intimate media, that media is not pornography; it is sexual violence.

Survivors of online and AI-assisted sexual abuse lose jobs, experience trauma, and may suffer ongoing depression or anxiety.

People depicted in these manipulated images and heard in manipulated audio are forced to view or hear themselves engaging in nonconsensual explicit acts, face unwanted attention on their nude bodies, and endure stigma associated with explicit content.

^{– RAINN's Recommendations for Effectively Addressing Nonconsensual Manipulated Intimate Material}

Want justice? We need the support of the law.

Many states have criminalized certain online sexual abuses, but most current laws are insufficient given the invasiveness of this crime.

✅ IT'S A CRIME: Many state laws criminalize the nonconsensual distribution of adult intimate images.

✅ IT'S A CRIME: Many state laws criminalize the possession or distribution of child sexual abuse materials.

❌ IT'S NOT A CRIME (YET): If a nude photo depicts a victim’s real face, but the victim’s genitals were AI-generated, many current laws would not apply because the "intimate" part of the image was not the victim’s.

RAINN's Policy Recommendations

These are just a few of RAINN's guidelines for laws that target online sexual abuse:

Clarify that consenting to the creation of intimate material does NOT mean consenting to its distribution
Allow victims to pursue justice in the jurisdiction they live in, regardless of where the material was made or shared
Allow guardians to take civil action against perpetrators on behalf of minors
Assist victims with take-down orders, protective orders, and other processes for removing unlawful material

Explore our comprehensive assessment and sample statutory language:

What To Do After Online Sexual Abuse

If you, your child, or someone else you love is targeted by a sexual predator online, you deserve support.

• Get to Safety

Whatever the circumstances, make safety your number one priority.

If you believe you or someone else is in immediate physical danger, CONTACT 911 and relocate to a safer location.

• Get Support

Survivors of online or AI-assisted sexual abuse often feel a range of emotions: confusion, fear, uncertainty, embarrassment, rage, grief—your emotions are valid.

And you don't need to navigate them alone.

Consider reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or community leader for support, insight, and comfort as you decide what to do next.

>>> CHAT ONLINE WITH A RAINN SUPPORT SPECIALIST

>>> CONTACT THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE

• Save the Evidence

Abusive online content is inherently upsetting. Your gut reaction may be to try to delete or hide the content.

Instead, do your best to preserve evidence of the abuse by saving, printing, or taking screenshots of the abusive material.

Try to capture dates, time stamps, and as much identifying information about the perpetrator as possible.

• Notify the Website

If the abuse occurred on a public website or social media channel, you can report the content to the site's administrator or host. Look for a “report” button near the chat window.

• Report to Law Enforcement

Don’t hesitate to contact law enforcement or a lawyer. They can help you understand whether a crime has occurred and if a criminal or civil case is possible. Find out if you can use the evidence you collected to gain an order of protection that includes contact over social media and other digital platforms.

• Reporting CSAM: Child Sexual Assault Material

>>> REPORT ALL ABUSE OF MINORS TO NCMEC

If you suspect a minor is being abused—that's anyone under 18 years old—immediately contact 911 and report the abuse to the CyberTipline at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

GET HELP

• Reporting Workplace Sexual Harassment

Online sexual abuse among co-workers may be considered a form of sexual harassment, which is illegal. Contact your Human Resources Department to report the activity or file a complaint with the FBI.

• Reporting as a Student

If you are in school and the person harassing you online goes to your school, you can report the abuse anonymously.

If you are experiencing harassment or abuse through a social media platform, app, or online game, you can report it through the site.

If the person who is making you uncomfortable is another student, teacher, or administrator at your K-12 school, college, or university, you may want to consider reporting the behavior to the Title IX officer or a trusted adult at school.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you are not alone. RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and en Español at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or online at hotline.RAINN.org.

CITATIONS

_{1. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Verizon, Transportation Security Administration, JP Morgan Chase & Co., United States Secret Service, Experian, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance, Melian LLC, & Deloitte & Touche. (2021). Increasing Threat of DeepFake Identities. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved June 19, 2024, from https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/increasing_threats_...}

_{2. Science & Tech Spotlight: Combating Deepfakes | U.S. GAO. (2024, March 11). Government Accountability Office. Retrieved June 19, 2024, from https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107292}

_{3. Deepfake Technology. (n.d.). Organization for Social Media Safety. Retrieved June 19, 2024, from https://www.socialmediasafety.org/advocacy/deepfake-technology/}
_{4. Sensity (formerly Deeptrace), Patrini, G., Cavalli, F., Cullen, L., & Ajder, H. (2019, September). The State of Deepfakes: Landscape, Threats, and Impact. The State of Deepfakes. Retrieved June 19, 2024, from https://regmedia.co.uk/2019/10/08/deepfake_report.pdf}