A report by the global non-profit organisation Chayn has slammed tech companies and authorities for failing women by focusing on nudity rather than consent when dealing with image-based abuse. The report, titled Explicit Harms of Non-Explicit Images, highlights the devastating impact of fully clothed images on women's lives in conservative communities. Pakistani actress Ayesha Omar has backed the report's criticisms, citing her own experiences.
The report's findings are based on the story of Mahnoor, a 32-year-old Pakistani woman who was subjected to image-based abuse by her ex-husband. He gained access to her private WhatsApp account and shared images of her with her male relatives, colleagues, and acquaintances. The images, which showed Mahnoor in everyday settings, were used to portray her as a 'woman of bad character', an accusation that can carry life-altering and sometimes fatal consequences.
Chayn's report argues that image-based abuse is routinely misunderstood by both authorities and technology companies because they continue to define harm primarily through nudity. The report's author, Hera Hussain, says that the image does not have to be nude for it to be harmful, and that sometimes it can be as harmful, even if not a single body part is bare.
The report's findings have significant implications for women's rights and online safety. As Ayesha Omar notes, it's not just about nudity - it's about the complex reality of images and online abuse. The report's call to redefine the conversation around image-based abuse towards consent is a crucial step towards creating a safer online environment for women.