As public outrage grows over a “vile” internet forum where men are trading intimate photos of Australian women without their consent, the Australian Federal Police have vowed to investigate.
The website’s thousands of photos are sorted by location, with folders for specific suburbs and, perhaps more disturbingly, high schools, as revealed last week by Mamamia.
“The Australian Federal Police is aware of the existence of a website which encourages users to upload images of a sexual nature. A number of these images allegedly depict non-consenting and/or underage women,” they wrote in a statement released today.
“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.”
“Aussie sluts” site victim speaks to Channel 7 (post continues after video):
The site is hosted on international servers, which means it can not be shut down by Australian authorities, but individuals whose photos have been shared are encouraged to contact police.
People sharing the images could still be prosecuted though, the AFP warned.
“It is important to note that creating, accessing or distributing child pornography is a serious offence, even if you are a child yourself.”
The investigation will be a joint operation between state and federal police, with NSW Police echoing the warning that users of the site could be arrested and charged.
“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,” NSW Police said.
They also confirmed they are working with the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner and NSW Department of Education, the Association of independent Schools of NSW and Catholic Schools NSW.
“Anyone who believes their photo has been posted on the site should make a report to their local police.”
In a similar statement Queensland Police said they were also participating in the investigation, but has not received an specific complaints.
“We believe the site is hosted overseas and does not appear to contain any child exploitation material,” Detective Superintendent Cheryl Scanlon of the Child Safety and Sexual Crimes Group said.
He also said he believed most of the photos had been obtained through Facebook.
“We cannot stress how important it is for everyone to protect themselves online. Pictures you post on social media sites are unfortunately there for the taking to anyone who is your friend, or even a friend of a friend.”
Sherele Moody has created a petition to shut down the website. She says the police aren’t doing enough. “The police need to turn the conversation back to the people posting the pics. Asking girls to not acquiesce when their partners request photos of them won’t work – it’s like asking the ocean to hold back the the tide. I’m guessing most of these girls are put in emotionally charged situations by these young men, who ask for the photos as part of their “relationship” and as a sign that they trusted them.”
The investigation follows after a number of stories published by Mamamia last week.
Anyone with information which could assist with this matter should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au 24hrs a day.
Top Comments
I have said this before and have been accused of victim blaming. Well if that's the interpretation of it, so be it, but if teenage girls didn't post bikini and lingerie photos of themselves online or snapchat or text nude photos of themselves to others nobody would be able to access them and they wouldn't find themselves being targeting in such a horrific way.
Girls need to take responsibility for their own online safety and stop being so naive and trusting. Schools have been warning them in different classes for years so they can't plead ignorance. Girls need to stop giving perverts ammunition.
The biggest flaw of your argument is their could be confusion as to what constitutes "revealing". If girls stopped posting photos in bikinis, and it became abnormal to see women wearing bikinis. The next step would be for shorts and singlets to be classed as "revealing" in the same way that dresses above the knee were classed as revealing in the 50s. Or culturally, some people might also find shorts to be revealing when other cultures don't. It's perceptive. That's why we need to change the perception of it.
However, there is no confusion as to what a pervert is. If perverts weren't perverts, women also wouldn't be targeted in such a horrific way either. How about we blame the people actually committing the crime? Not only blame them but get them rehabilitation if that's what they need.
Telling women not to wear revealing clothes or post pictures doesn't fix a situation, it's a bandaid.
I think texting nude pics would fit your criteria. Young people of both sexes need to be told of the possible ramifications of such actions. Parents need to lift their game as well
Where does it end though, some may deem a singlet too revealing, so what no pics of girls wearing singlets
If the criminals were also treated like oh i dunno criminals boys and so called men may see that womens pictures are not for them to circulate
They may realise that jail isnt worth sending a pic to a website
Okay, girls need to be taught how to be safe online. Agree.This is not going to fix the problem. And it is victim blaming, because you have said nothing of what the boys should be taught.
Boys need to be taught to be safe online and to NOT engage in this sort of behaviour. It should be a criminal offense to distribute and share such material and boys/men who do it should be prosecuted. Boys need to take responsibility for their own actions and stop taking advantage of naive and trusting girls.