The Manitoba government has introduced amendments to better protect Manitobans from having their intimate images shared without consent.
In a media release on Thursday, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said, “The distribution and threat of distributing intimate images significantly impacts the health and safety of Manitobans, especially youth, women and girls, and additional safeguards must be put in place to address this ongoing issue. The Manitoba government has identified gaps and ways to strengthen legislation so we can better protect children.”
The Non-Consensual Distribution of Intimate Images Act makes it illegal for intimate images to be shared without consent. The Manitoba government introduced legislative amendments that would increase a plaintiff’s access to civil remedies and acknowledge the use of blackmail in violent intimate partner relationships, the minister noted.
The proposed amendments would:
- expand the definition of intimate image to include ‘nearly nude’;
- make it illegal to threaten distribution of an intimate image, a tactic often used blackmail;
- make it illegal to take or share nude or nearly-nude images of a person after their death;
- require courts to consider the views of the plaintiff when deciding whether to order a publication ban; and
- add a provision to hold websites accountable if they fail to act reasonably to remove nude or nearly-nude images.
“The non-consensual distribution of intimate images is a complex and serious problem that affects many Manitobans and we see the devastating impacts it has on victims every day,” said Lianna McDonald, executive director, Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P). “This proposed legislation by the Manitoba government is a meaningful step to ensure our laws keep pace with the ever-evolving landscape of online victimization. We’ve been advocating for many of these changes and we’re grateful the government listened to our calls for action.”
In addition to the proposed legislative changes, the Manitoba government is also announcing $20,000 in funding for C3P from the Federal Proceeds of Crime Fund, administered by the criminal property forfeiture branch, the minister noted.
This funding will support online prevention programming to help safeguard children from sexual victimization and reduce crime by providing resources to school staff, children, families, and communities, the minister added. It will support the Kids in the Know national safety education program, which builds students’ skills to increase personal safety and reduce the risk of online and offline victimization, and Commit to Kids online training for individuals working with children, either through employment or on a volunteer basis.
