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Publication - FOI/EIR release

Information pertaining to disclosure of an intimate image: FOI release

Published
11 October 2023
Directorate
Safer Communities Directorate
Topic
Public sector
FOI reference
202300361247
Date received
12 June 2023
Date responded
4 July 2023

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Information requested

  1. The number of people proceeded against for “threatening to disclose an intimate image” and “disclosure of an intimate image” from 2017 until the present, broken down by area/division/council (whichever format is available). 

  2. The number of people acquitted for “threatening to disclose an intimate image” and “disclosure of an intimate image” from 2017 until the present, broken down by area/division/council (whichever format is available). 

  3. The number of people convicted for “threatening to disclose an intimate image” and “disclosure of an intimate image” from 2017 until the present, broken down by area/division/council (whichever format is available). 

  1. For those convicted the penalty/sentence given for each one. 

  1. For those convicted, if possible, the sex and age of the convicted. 

Response

Disclosing or threatening to disclose an intimate photograph or film is covered by Section 2(1) of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016. Unfortunately, we are not able to separately identify offences of 'threatening to disclose an intimate image' from 'disclosing an intimate image'. 

Please note: Data for 2020-21 are affected by the pandemic and subsequent court closures and may not be indicative of long term trends. 

The information you have requested can be found in the tables below: 

1,3. Number of people proceeded for offences under Section 2(1) of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 (where main crime), by LA and result, 2017-18 to 2020- 21. 

2017-18 

2018-19 

2019-20 

2020-21 

Proceeded 

Convicted 

Proceeded 

Convicted 

Proceeded 

Convicted 

Proceeded 

Convicted 

Aberdeen City 

1 

1 

3 

3 

4 

4 

3 

3 

Aberdeenshire 

1 

1 

- 

- 

2 

2 

- 

- 

Angus 

- 

- 

1 

1 

2 

2 

1 

1 

Argyll & Bute 

1 

1 

- 

- 

2 

1 

- 

- 

Clackmannanshire 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2 

2 

1 

1 

Dumfries & 

Galloway 

1 

1 

- 

- 

2 

2 

3 

3 

Dundee City 

1 

1 

2 

1 

2 

2 

4 

3 

East Ayrshire 

1 

1 

4 

3 

1 

- 

5 

4 

Edinburgh, City of 

1 

- 

10 

9 

6 

5 

5 

5 

Falkirk 

- 

- 

5 

3 

1 

- 

3 

3 

Fife 

3 

2 

7 

7 

9 

8 

5 

4 

Glasgow City 

5 

4 

10 

7 

8 

8 

3 

3 

Highland 

- 

- 

1 

1 

2 

2 

1 

1 

Inverclyde 

1 

1 

- 

- 

1 

1 

- 

- 

Moray 

- 

- 

1 

1 

- 

- 

2 

2 

North Lanarkshire 

- 

- 

1 

1 

3 

2 

- 

- 

Perth & Kinross 

- 

- 

1 

1 

2 

2 

- 

- 

Renfrewshire 

- 

- 

4 

4 

1 

1 

1 

1 

Scottish Borders 

2 

2 

2 

2 

1 

- 

- 

- 

Shetland Islands 

1 

1 

- 

- 

2 

2 

1 

1 

South Ayrshire 

- 

- 

1 

1 

1 

1 

- 

- 

South Lanarkshire 

2 

2 

2 

1 

8 

7 

4 

4 

Stirling 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1 

1 

2 

2 

West 

Dunbartonshire 

- 

- 

1 

- 

3 

2 

1 

1 

West Lothian 

1 

1 

3 

2 

3 

3 

3 

3 

Not Known 

- 

 

- 

 

- 

 

1 

 

Scotland 

22 

19 

59 

48 

69 

60 

49 

45 

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database. 

2. Number of people acquitted1 for offences under Section 2(1) of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 (where main crime), by LA, 2017-18 to 2020-21. 

2017-18 

2018-19 

2019-20 

2020-21 

Dundee City 

- 

1 

- 

1 

East Ayrshire 

- 

1 

1 

1 

Edinburgh, City of 

- 

1 

- 

- 

Falkirk 

- 

2 

- 

- 

Fife 

- 

- 

1 

1 

Glasgow City 

1 

3 

- 

- 

Scottish Borders 

- 

- 

1 

- 

West Dunbartonshire 

- 

- 

1 

- 

West Lothian 

- 

1 

- 

- 

Not Known 

- 

- 

- 

1 

Scotland 

1 

9 

4 

4 

1 - includes Acquitted not guilty and Acquitted not proven. Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database. 

4. Number of people convicted for offences under Section 2(1) of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 (where main crime), by result, 2017-18 to 2020-21. 

2017-18 

2018-19 

2019-20 

2020-21 

Custody 

2 

5 

10 

3 

Community sentence 

8 

23 

29 

21 

Monetary 

8 

18 

16 

17 

Other 

1 

2 

5 

4 

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database. 

5. Number of people convicted for offences under Section 2(1) of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 (where main crime), by sex and age, 2017-18 to 2020-21. 

2017-18 

2018-19 

2019-20 

2020-21 

Female Person 

Under 21 

- 

1 

- 

1 

21-30 

- 

1 

3 

5 

31-40 

- 

1 

2 

3 

41-100 

- 

2 

2 

2 

Male Person 

Under 21 

4 

6 

7 

2 

21-30 

4 

19 

25 

10 

31-40 

7 

6 

13 

15 

41-100 

4 

12 

8 

7 

Total convicted 

 

19 

48 

60 

45 

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database. 

The latest available data are for 2020-21. Information for 2021-22 will not be available until publication of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2021-22 Statistical Bulletin. This is provisionally planned for release in Autumn 2023. 

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

Contact

Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000

The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

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