Today’s technologies have created incredible opportunities for connection, but they’ve also opened new avenues for people to perpetrate harm.
Privately shared nude photos have become blackmail fodder; intimate encounters are being secretly filmed and sold online; and artificial intelligence (AI) apps allow anyone with a smartphone to “undress” classmates, coworkers, or total strangers with a single tap.
At RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), we call these non-consensual acts tech-enabled sexual abuse.
What is tech-enabled sexual abuse?
Tech-enabled sexual abuse occurs when intimate photos, videos, or audio clips—real or AI-generated—are created and shared without the adult subject’s legal consent.
You may already be aware of these technology-based abuses:
- Deepfakes: AI-generated photos, videos, or audio that falsely depict someone in a sexual situation without their consent
- Revenge porn: sharing private, intimate photos or videos to hurt or control someone
- Sextortion: threatening to release intimate content to pressure someone into sharing more photos, money, or personal favors
- Hacking and cyberstalking: gaining access to someone’s private accounts, cameras, or devices to exploit or spy on them
Mental health impacts of tech-enabled sexual abuse
Along with social and professional repercussions, tech-enabled sexual abuse takes a severe psychological toll. If you experience technology-based abuse, you may encounter these and other emotional and mental health struggles:
- Anxiety and hypervigilance. You may feel constantly on edge and afraid of further exposure or online harassment.
- Loss of trust and safety. You may have difficulty trusting others, feel afraid of intimacy, worry about being exploited again, or struggle with low self-worth.
- Body image and self-esteem issues. Being objectified or exploited online may deeply affect your self-esteem and your relationship with your body.
FACT: It’s not your fault
Tech-enabled sexual abuse is never the fault of the victimized person. Full stop. Perpetrators are solely responsible for using technology to abuse others.
How RAINN is fighting tech-enabled sexual abuse
At RAINN, we believe tech-enabled sexual abuse is harmful and unethical—and it should be a crime in every state.
As of 2025, U.S. legislators are still scrambling to get ahead of this rapidly growing problem and enact laws that address technology-based abuses.
This does not mean you shouldn’t report your experience to the police. Just know that without laws that criminalize the abuse you experienced, you may not be able to press criminal charges or file a civil suit—but RAINN is working to change that.
Together, we can improve the laws governing tech-enabled sexual abuse. You can help by urging your state and federal legislators to support laws that:
- Enable prosecution for technology-based sexual offenses
- Provide legal pathways for rapid content removal
How to heal after tech-enabled sexual abuse
- Get support now. RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, anonymous and confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can call or chat to get help and be heard today. Call 800-656-HOPE or chat with us at RAINN.org.
- Connect with a therapist. A trauma-informed therapist can help you manage the impact of the abuse you experienced. Mental Health America can help you find a provider who’s right for you.
- Talk to people you trust. You don’t have to deal with your pain alone. Talk to someone you trust to support you unconditionally.
Everyone deserves safety
No one should live in fear of technology-based sexual exploitation. Together, we can take back our tech and build a future where everyone’s privacy and dignity are respected.
