A new report by Chayn, a gender justice organisation, warns that social media companies and authorities are failing women who experience image-based abuse. Focusing on nudity alone overlooks the complex realities faced by women whose privacy and reputation are harmed through non-sexual images.

The report, Explicit Harms of Non-Explicit Images, highlights the case of Mahnoor, a 32-year-old Pakistani university lecturer. Her divorce led to her private photos, including those taken in everyday life, being shared without consent by her ex-husband. The damage was profound, stripping her of professional respect and social standing within her community.

Chayn argues that the harm is not defined by nudity but by consent and context. They interviewed 64 women across Pakistan and diaspora communities in multiple countries, revealing fears such as showing hair without a headscarf or being photographed with non-relatives. Ayesha Omar, an actress whose images were stolen years ago, echoes these concerns, stating the impact on her career was significant.

The report calls for a shift in understanding from nudity to consent, aiming to tackle image-based abuse comprehensively. It suggests that authorities and tech companies need to recognize how shame and social control operate differently across communities. By doing so, they might better address the diverse forms of harm women face online.