The government has announced that cyberflashing will become a criminal offence under the upcoming Online Safety Bill.

Perpetrators of this offence, which involves offenders sending unsolicited sexual images to people via social media, dating apps, or across sharing devices like Bluetooth and Airdrop, could face up to two years behind bars.

76 per cent of girls aged 12-18 received unsolicited nude images of boys or men in 2020, according to research by professor Jessica Ringrose.

The move follows similar recent action to criminalise upskirting and breastfeeding voyeurism.

“Protecting women and girls is my top priority which is why we’re keeping sexual and violent offenders behind bars for longer, giving domestic abuse victims more time to report assaults and boosting funding for support services to £185m per year,” said deputy prime minister and justice secretary Dominic Raab. “Making cyberflashing a specific crime is the latest step - sending a clear message to perpetrators that they will face jail time.”

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