17th January 2024

Briefing Paper: Deepfake Image-Based Sexual Abuse, Tech Facilitated Sexual Exploitation and the Law 

Deepfake image-based sexual abuse represents a growing and alarming form of tech-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse that uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to create deceptive and non-consensual sexually explicit content. Vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls, face amplified risks and unique challenges in combatting deepfake image-based sexual abuse.

Key takeaways and recommendations

Deepfake image-based sexual abuse, tech-facilitated sexual exploitation and the law provides an in-depth analysis of the legal frameworks in nine focus jurisdictions, including England, Wales, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, the US (Virginia, Texas, California), the European Union, and international human rights law.

The briefing paper is informed by legal research that considered what laws are currently regulating deepfake image-based sexual abuse, including whether the term “deepfake” is defined in these laws. The research also considered prospective laws, soft laws, and other areas of law that are relevant to prohibiting sexual violence in deepfakes, such as copyright, defamation, and consumer law.

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Imperative Legal, Policy, and Institutional Reforms for Enhanced Support and Protection of Child Marriage Victims and Survivors

Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA), with support from Equality Now, conducted a focused study on child marriage in Zimbabwe, using Epworth as a case study. The research examined the country’s laws, policies, action plans, and other mechanisms meant to protect and support victims and survivors of child marriage.

Female Genital Mutilation Amongst Sudanese migrants in Greater Cairo: Perceptions and Trends

This report investigates the experience and attitudes of Sudanese migrants in Egypt about female genital mutilation (FGM).

Exploring Legal Aid Mechanisms for Survivors of Sexual Violence: Lessons from South Asia

The South Asian Movement for Accessing Justice (SAMAJ) presents this regional report on legal aid systems in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

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