NEWCASTLE Police have received a number of complaints about the intimate photos of non-consenting girls being exchanged on a controversial website – and have urged other Hunter victims to come forward.
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The NSW Police Force released a statement on Tuesday about the website, which it said was hosted overseas and used software that allowed users to post text and images anonymously.
“Detectives from the Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit are liaising with law enforcement colleagues in other jurisdictions and making inquiries to determine if any offences have been committed in NSW,” the statement said. “Anyone who believes their photo has been posted on the site should make a report to their local police.”
Newcastle Local Area Command Inspector Scott Parker said officers would investigate each matter on a “case by case basis if lines of inquiry and criminality exist”.
“We’ll be looking for any casual links or tendencies with other crimes which may form part of the investigation,” Inspector Parker said.
“We would also look to the Criminal Code Act, which covers using a carriage service to menace, harass and cause offence.”
An Australian Federal Police spokeswoman said it was evaluating whether it could shut the website down.
“The AFP is currently liaising with its domestic and international law enforcement partners and relevant government agencies to evaluate this matter and to determine appropriate courses of action,” she said.
“It is important to note that creating, accessing or distributing child pornography is a serious offence, even if you are a child yourself.
“Child pornography offences have a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment.”
The Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner said those who have found intimate photos had been used without their consent should:
- Keep evidence of the abuse by taking screenshots and noting the web addresses.
- Google your own name to check what images appear and request for the pages to be blocked from Google search results.
- Ask the website/app it appears on to remove it.
- Ask the person, or get someone else to ask the person, who shared the photo or video to remove it and delete all copies.
- Seek legal advice and get support.
- Strongly consider reporting to police: there are laws in every State and Territory that deal with stalking and Commonwealth legislation that deals with the misuse of a carriage service (phone, email, text message) to make a threat, menace, harass or cause offence.
- If you are under the age of 18, you should report it to the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner who can assist in removing the material.
Helen Gregory
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
