A survey has revealed that a quarter of Americans think that sending unsolicited nude digital images should carry a five-year jail sentence and a hefty fine.
The survey of 1,058 Americans aged 18 to 73 was carried out on behalf of BadGirlsBible.com. Participants were asked questions about how they send and receive photos in the modern world.
Seventy percent of women and 50% of men surveyed said they thought that a jail sentence is appropriate for cyber-flashing, with an average recommended term of 1.5 years or a fine of $4,400. These suggested penalties are roughly equivalent to those meted out for committing a class A misdemeanor, such as a DUI or an assault.
Some believed the punishment should be even more severe, with 25% recommending a jail sentence of five years and a fine of $10,000, which is equivalent to the punishment for a class D felony, like voluntary manslaughter or stalking.
Overall, 89% of women and 79% of men said they think culprits should be fined, with women recommending a fine of $5,700 on average, compared to the $3,300 deemed appropriate by men.
While 40% of women and 21% of men polled thought that people who shared others’ nudes without consent should be added to a public sex offender registry, 58% of women and 38% of men thought culprits' details should be placed on a specially created database of sext offenders.
The survey, conducted in May, revealed that women under age 30 are much more likely to be the unhappy recipients of an unwanted naked image than men in the same age category. While just 12% of men said they had received a nude picture that they didn't want, nearly half of women—47%—had been imposed on by a cyber-flasher.
Worryingly, 12% of women and 23% of men under age 30 admitted that they had obtained a nude without consent. The most popular way of doing this was by taking a screenshot of a temporary image; however, nudes had also been acquired via friends, captured from a video call, and purchased from a third party.
Perhaps the most alarming method of getting a nude without the subject's consent—taking a photo of them in person without their knowledge—had been practiced by 10% of men and 6% of women under age 30.