Residents have been reminded that the unauthorised sharing of intimate images can lead to jail time of three years on summary conviction and up to five years on indictment.

Kim Wilkerson, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, said the Criminal Code Amendment (Non-Consensual Sharing of Intimate Images) Act 2021, had been put in place to combat the issue, commonly known as revenge porn.

She said: “The unauthorised sharing of intimate images is a severe violation of personal privacy and can inflict profound emotional trauma.”

Ms Wilkerson said the legislation had criminalised the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, aiming to protect privacy and dignity.

She said the reminder came with ministry efforts to reinforce awareness of the law.

Offences targeted include observing or recording individuals in private settings without consent and distributing intimate images without permission.

Ms Wilkerson called on anyone receiving such images to “delete them immediately and under no circumstances forward such images”.

The distribution of prohibited images has become a pervasive global issue exacerbated by technological advances and the proliferation of social media, with victims often experiencing distress and reputational damage. In severe cases, some have contemplated self-harm.

Ms Wilkerson said the difficulty of containment underscored the importance of preventive measures and robust legal frameworks.

She said its global rise highlighted the need for comprehensive laws and public awareness.

She added: “Some may think that sharing intimate images of another person is harmless or done as a joke, but let me be clear — this is a criminal offence.

“Anyone caught distributing such images without consent could face prosecution and serious legal consequences.”

• For more information on the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and how to protect oneself, visitwww.stopncii.org