Victorian government to introduce new sexting laws

In an Australian first, the Victorian state government will today introduce new sexting laws to parliament.

The legislation comes after a lengthy parliamentary inquiry that found young people were being charged with child pornography offences despite the consensual sending of intimate images.

The new act would protect minors in certain circumstances, with those under 18 who willingly send images to others underage but within a two-year age gap bracket spared from being charged with sexual offences.

Previously, all sexts that depicted people under 18 were classified as child pornography.

The distribution of exploitative sexual content – such as images depicting sexual assault – will remain a crime for minors.

Meanwhile, those who send explicit images without consent now face being charged.

The laws include the creation two new offences: distributing an intimate image without consent and threatening to send an intimate image without.

The bill gives those who have explicit images of themselves shared unwillingly more power to redress the offences.