Technology-facilitated abuse and sextortion
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Turning back the tide: Exploring regulatory approaches to addressing sexual violence and harm onlineSASVic, December 2025 | Read report
From violent pornography and child sexual abuse material to algorithms that amplify misogyny, tech companies must be held accountable for how their algorithms, operational practices, and business models contribute to sexual violence and harm. Turning back the tide outlines why urgent action is needed and explores a range of regulatory approaches, including restricting depictions of sexual violence including strangulation and child sexual abuse material in pornography; enforcing a duty of care on technology companies to protect users; greater accountability and stronger penalties for platforms that host or promote sexual violence and child sexual abuse material; and regulating algorithms that drive users towards ever more extreme content.
Responding to the new normal: Exploring the impacts of pornography SASVic, 2024
This paper provides insights from the specialist sexual assault sector and a review of the significant literature on the nature of pornography’s relationship to sexual violence and harm.
Research and reports
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Tech-based abuse in families or at home | eSafety Commission Go to siteA series of resources, case studies and information to better understand.
Technology-facilitated abuse: Interviews with victims and survivors and perpetrators | ANROWS, 2022 | Read report
Technology-facilitated abuse: Extent, nature and responses in the Australian community
ANROWS, 2022 | Open in new tab
The Second National Survey on Technology Abuse and Domestic ViolenceWESTNET/Curtin University, 2020 | Read moreThe survey asks practitioners about what kinds of abuse tactics frontline workers are seeing in their day-to-day work with survivors of domestic and family violence and other forms of violence against women.
Albury, K., Dietzel, C., Pym, T., Vivienne, S., & Cook, T. (2024). Not your unicorn: Trans dating app users’ negotiations of personal safety and sexual health. Health Sociology Review, 30(1), 72-86.
Carlson, B. (2020). Love and hate at the cultural interface: Indigenous Australians and dating apps. Journal of Sociology, 56(2), 133-150
Cama, E. (2021). Understanding experiences of sexual harms facilitated through dating and hook up apps among women and girls. In Bailey, J., Flynn, A., & Henry, N. (Eds.), The Emerald International Handbook of Technology-Facilitated Violence and Abuse (pp. 333-350). Emerald Publishing Limited.
eSafety Commissioner (2024). Online dating. eSafety Commissioner. Canberra: Australian Government. Viewed 9/10/2024.
Lawler, S., & Boxall, H. (2023). Reporting of dating app facilitated sexual violence to the police: Victim-survivor experience and outcomes. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice (No. 662 March 2023). Australian Institute of Criminology, Australian Government. Canberra.
Flynn, A., Wheildon, L., Robards, B., Vakhitova, Z., & Harris, B. (2023) Australian users’ experiences with control features on social media services and online dating apps: Key findings. Report Prepared for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
Australian Institute of Criminology. (2022). Sexual harassment, aggression and violence victimisation among mobile dating app and website users in Australia Cali, B. E., Coleman, J. M., & Campbell, C. (2013). Stranger danger? Women’s self-protection intent and the continuing stigma of online dating. Cyberpsychology, Behaviour, and Social Networking, 16(12), 853-857.
Wolbers, H., Boxall, H., Long, C., & Gunnoo, A. (2022). Sexual harassment, aggression and violence victimisation among mobile dating app and website users in Australia. Research Report no. 25. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology.
Research shows AI chatbots are driving violence against women and girls Durham University, March 2026 | Read moreA new report provides the first comprehensive analysis of how AI chatbots are facilitating violence against women and girls (VAWG) in dangerous new ways.
Workplace technology-facilitated sexual harassment: Perpetration, responses and prevention | ANROWS, 2024 | Read report
Sexual harassment, aggression and violence victimisation among mobile dating app and website users in AustraliaAustralian Institute of Criminology, 2022 | Read report
Cyberstalking and cyberbullying: Effects and prevention measures. Chandrashekhar, A. M., Muktha, G. S., & Anjana, D. K. (2016) | Read article (2016)
Image-Based Abuse National Survey: Summary Report | eSafety Commissioner, 2017 | Read article
Sexualized Deepfake Abuse: Perpetrator and Victim Perspectives on the Motivations and Forms of Non-Consensually Created and Shared Sexualized Deepfake Imagery | 2025 | Access articleProvides insights into sexualised deepfake abuse, patterns in perpetration and motivations, and explores theoretical explanations that may shed light on how perpetrators justify and minimize their behavior.
Not Just ‘Revenge Pornography’: Australians’ Experiences of Image-Based Abuse. A Summary Report | Henry, N., Powell, A., & Flynn, A., 2017 | Read report
Image-based sexual abuse | McGlynn, C., & Rackley, E., 2017 | Read report
Fox, J., & Tokunaga, R. (2015). Romantic partner monitoring after breakups: Attachment, dependence, distress, and post-dissolution online surveillance via social networking sites. Cyberpsychology, Behaviour, and Social Networking, 18(9), 491-498
Dragiewicz, M., Harris, B., Woodlock, D., Salter, M., Easton, H., Lynch, A., Campbell, H., Leach, J., & Milne, L., (2019), Domestic violence and communication technology: Survivor experiences of intrusion, surveillance, and identity crime, Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, Sydney.
Vendemia, M. A., & Bevan, J. L. (2024). Why do people share social networking site passwords with their romantic partners? The antecedents and explanations for social networking site password sharing in romantic relationships. Communication Research Reports, 41(5), 265-274.
Abbasi, I. S., Buchanan, T., & Dibble, J. L. (2023). Attitudes towards password sharing in cohabiting partners. The Social Science Journal, 1-10.
Australian Institute of Criminology, (2024). Technology-facilitated coercive control: Mapping women’s diverse pathways to safety and justice | Read report
Melander, L. A., & Marganski, A. J. (2020). Cyber and in-person intimate partner violence victimization: Examining maladaptive psychosocial and behavioural correlates. Cyberpsychology, 14(1).
Pinter, A. T., Jiang, J. A., Gach, K. Z., Dykes, J. E., & Brubaker, J. R. (2019). “Am I never going to be free of all this crap?”: Upsetting encounters with algorithmically curated content about ex-partners. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 3(CSCW), 70, 1-23.
Flynn, A., Hindes, S., & Powell, A. (2022). Technology-facilitated abuse: Interviews with victims and survivors and perpetrators (Research report, 11/2022). ANROWS.
Henry, N., Gavey, N., McGlynn, C., & Rackley, E. (2023). ‘Devastating, like it broke me’: Responding to image-based sexual abuse in Aotearoa New Zealand. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 23(5), 861-879.
Brown, C., Yap, M., Thomassin, A., Murray, M., & Yu, E. (2021). “Can I just share my story?” Experiences of technology-facilitated abuse among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in regional and remote Australia. Journal of Global Indigeneity, 5(2), 1–24.
Technology-facilitated abuse: National survey of Australian adults’ experiences | ANROWS, 2022 | Read report
Henry, N., & Powell, A. (2015). Embodied harms: Gender, shame, and technology-facilitated sexual violence. Violence Against Women, 21(6), 758-779.
Marganski, A. J., & Melander, L. A. (2021). Technology-facilitated violence against women and girls in public and private spheres: Moving from enemy to ally. In Bailey, J., Flynn, A., & Henry, N. (Eds.), The Emerald International Handbook of Technology-Facilitated Violence and Abuse (pp. 623-641). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Disengagement from online misogynistic incel communities and its implications for attitudes to gendered violence | 2026 | Access articleThis study used a qualitative survey of self-identified former incels to determine motivations for disengagement, strategies to facilitate disengagement, and whether and how their attitudes towards violence against women changed with disengagement.
Algorithms as a Weapon Against Women: How YouTube Lures Boys and Young Men into the ‘Manosphere’ISD, 2022 | Read reportThis research documents how YouTube’s algorithms contribute to promoting misogynistic, anti-feminist and other extremist content to Australian boys and young men. Using experimental accounts, this research tracks the content that YouTube, and their new ‘YouTube Shorts’ feature, routinely recommends to boys and young men.
Young people and online harm
How AI is influencing new online risks for children and young people | eSafety 23 July, OnlineThis session explores the risks linked to generative AI. Understanding these risks, how to minimise them, and how to respond when something goes wrong, is essential for everyone, especially those working with children and young people.This webinar is for educators and all professionals working with young people.
Covers:
Accidental, unsolicited and in your face | eSafety Commission, 2023
Young people’s encounters with online pornography: a matter of platform responsibility, education and choice
Read more
Impact of pornography on young people survey report summary
Our Watch, 2024
Your image belongs to you: Young people social media and image autonomy | Body Safety Australia and Respect Victoria, 2025 | Read moreAn exploratory study on preventing image-based harms
Online safety and the rights of children and young people | Open in new tabDespite being most affected by issues like grooming, “sextortion,” exposure to harmful content and social media impacts on mental health, young peoples’ voices are often left out of policy discussions. This event brought together leaders, researchers and advocates in children’s rights to participate in decisions that affect their lives, and explores this in relation to online safety and impact of online harms. We will hear from diverse perspectives in this nuanced, complicated and ever evolving issue
The online experiences of children in Australia | eSafety Commission | Read moreThe Keeping Kids Safe Online snapshots present topline findings on children’s experiences of a range of online harms and include age and gender differences. The prevalence of online harms varied by gender and age, with teens and trans and gender-diverse children generally more at risk of encountering online harms.
Children and technology-facilitated abuse |eSafety Commissioner, 2020 | Full report | Summary | Infographic
Reimagining Online Safety Education through the Eyes of Young People: Co-Design Workshops with Young People to Inform Digital LearningWestern Sydney University, 2022 | Read report
Looking for more information on young people and digital dating abuse?Find research on the use of technology as a tool for coercion and control in young people’s relationships, including tracking, harassment and online abuse.
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Practitioner resources
Technology facilitated violence against women: Factsheet | Monash Health and SECASAAccess sheet
Access site
Managed by Wesnet’s Safety Net Australia team, this website discusses technology, privacy, and safety in the context of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and violence against women.
Also view:TFA and Legislation | WESNET | Read moreLegal guides look at four primary areas of law relevant to people experiencing technology-facilitated stalking and abuse.
Many adults are unaware of how pervasive pornography has become, the nature of the material young people see, or how it is affecting young people’s sexual understandings and experiences. In order to assist young people to navigate this new reality, parents, schools and community organisations must first understand the issues | Access site
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Resources for practitioners supporting people harmed online
This resource hub is for frontline workers supporting people dealing with technology-facilitated abuse as part of domestic, family and sexual violence | Access site
Guide to responding to image-based abuse involving AI deepfakes: eSafety toolkit for schoolsThis guide provides support and advice to Australian schools to respond confidently and effectively to imagebased abuse that involves AI deepfakes. Visit eSafety’s web page on what you can report for a definition of what constitutes image-based abuse, including the use of deepfakes. Online safety policies and procedures should align with relevant legislation, as well as departmental or sector policies and procedures | Access resource
An Introductory Guide to the Manosphere and the Impacts for Young People, Teachers and SchoolsANROWS and Monash University | Access resourceThis guide is a resource for teachers and other school staff who work with young people in secondary schools. Its purpose is to help schools understand the harmful impacts of the manosphere, including the key beliefs and links to violence, how boys and young men are recruited into the manosphere and the role of social media.
The Daniel Morcombe Foundation Adolescent Hub is a set of youth-informed resources designed to help young people aged 13–15 recognise online harm, respond safely, and get support. It includes short videos and practical guidance for young people, parents and carers, and educators to respond to serious online harms, including sextortion and AI-generated image abuse | Visit site
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Focus on sextortion
Sexual extortion or ‘sextortion’ is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share a nude or sexual image or video of you unless you give in to their demands. If this happens to you, you’re not alone – there’s help available.eSafety Commissioner
If Sextoritionists were honest is an awareness raising campaign developed by the e-Safety Commissioner. By exposing tactics, it’s designed to help young people recognise warning signs earlier, reduce shame, and seek help sooner.
The message: Report. Block. Get support.
Related resources: Everything you need to know about sextortion found hereDownload the stakeholder kit with ready-to-use resources you can share with your community here
What is sextortion? Staying safe online | YACVIC | Visit site
Henry, N., & Umbach, R. (2024). Sextortion: Prevalence and correlates in 10 countries. Computers in Human Behaviour, 158, 108298.
Listed below are training and eLearning opportunities for frontline workers on the topic of technology-facilitated harm and abuse.
To view the complete list of ALL training for practitioners, visit the main FVSV training page.
CCTV and the Internet of Things (IoT) are becoming increasingly available and accessible, from doorbell cameras to connected washing machines and trackable drink bottles! As connectivity grows, perpetrators commonly target this technology because it is accessible and centralised. This information may reveal the survivor’s location and personal activities, enabling monitoring and surveillance within the home or remotely. Depending on the product, there are different features and access points that can be exploited, raising significant privacy and safety concerns.
Newer cars have advanced automotive technologies that connect to the internet and have vehicle apps. However, these technologies also pose a risk for survivors as they can be used for tracking or stalking. This one-hour training covers the levels of connectivity in newer cars, the data collected and shared, privacy concerns, and ways survivors in Australia are vulnerable to being tracked through their cars.
WESNET also offers a range of other courses including:
To view all training, visit: https://techsafety.org.au/events-training/training/
eLearning Modules | Read moreOnline interactive eLearning modules will build your knowledge of tech-based coercive control in regional and rural Victoria. Each chapter will take roughly 10 minutes to complete.
Online training for frontline workers | Read moreIn-depth training for frontline workers to enable them to better help their clients experiencing technology-facilitated abuse.
Back to main FVSV Hub
The information provided on this Family Violence Sexual Violence Knowledge Hub is curated to be the most recent and relevant available. While the content is continually being developed and will be regularly updated to reflect the latest insights and best practices, these resources are not exhaustive. While we strive to maintain the accuracy and timeliness of the information, we encourage users to check back frequently for new and refreshed materials, and to contact the relevant peak body if you would like more information about family violence, sexual violence and/or working with children and families in this context.
