Tilson Presents Bill to Criminalize the Threat To Publish Intimate Images

OTTAWA, ON – David Tilson, Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon, today introduced a Private Member’s Bill which would criminalize the threat to publish intimate images without consent via an amendment to the Criminal Code.

“Our Conservative government made the publication of intimate images without consent a criminal offence in December of 2014,” said Mr. Tilson. “Lives have been ruined through this reprehensible behaviour. We know that some Canadians have taken their own lives as a result. What is missing from this, in my opinion, is the problem of threatening to publish such images. Using the threat to publish images of another person as a means of control or coercion over that person is nearly as heinous. A victim could live in fear of what might happen, again with potentially damaging life consequences.”

Australia, the UK and some US states have such a statute on the books in their respective jurisdictions and it is Mr. Tilson’s contention that Canada should as well. Equipping law enforcement and justice officials with the appropriate tools to handle the digital age is the responsibility of all Members.

“My hope is that this measure gets the support of all Members in the House when it comes up for debate,” said Mr. Tilson. “It is a reasonable addition to the existing section of the Criminal Code that I am confident will receive support across all parties.”