The Government of Saskatchewan has introduced The Privacy Amendment Act, which they say will create legal options for people whose intimate images have been shared without their consent.
“This Bill sends a strong message that this callous, criminal behaviour has consequences, and that the Government of Saskatchewan stands with the victims of this type of attack,” says Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan.
The legislation allows a person whose intimate image has been distributed without their consent to sue the person who distributed the image. It also lays the responsibility on the person accused of circulating the image to show they had consent to share the picture. As well, plaintiffs will have the option to go forward with a lawsuit in either small claims or the Court of Queen’s Bench, previously they could only go through the Court of Queen’s Bench.
The Government of Saskatchewan defines an intimate image as a picture or video where a person is naked, partially naked or engaged in explicit sexual activity, which was made in circumstances that implied a reasonable expectation of privacy.