Image-Based Abuse Petition Delivered to 10 Downing Street

On 6th February 2026, I was pleased to join campaigners, survivor-activists, and civil society organisations at 10 Downing Street to mark the introduction of the new offence criminalising the non-consensual creation and requesting of sexually explicit deepfakes. This legislative step represents important progress and reflects years of determined advocacy and cross-party support for change led by Baroness Charlotte Owen.

However, much more remains to be done. Alongside colleagues and campaign partners, we submitted a petition calling for urgent and coordinated action to address the growing epidemic of image-based sexual abuse. Honoured to be alongside #JodieCampaigns, Lucy Morgan of Glamour UK, Rebecca Hitchin of the End Violence Against Women coalition and Imam Mazhari of #NotYourPorn. 

What happens next

While the new deepfake offence marks important progress, criminal law alone will not stop image-based abuse. Our campaign is calling for further action to ensure survivors are protected and perpetrators — including technology companies — are held accountable.

Key priorities include:

• Rapid removal of abusive images, including 48-hour takedown routes so survivors can have content removed quickly from platforms, websites, and perpetrators’ devices

• Stronger civil justice options, giving survivors routes to redress that do not depend on pursuing criminal cases

• A broader, harm-based legal definition of intimate images, recognising cultural, religious and social contexts as well as physical exposure

• Robust technology regulation, including enforceable obligations on platforms 

• An independent Online Safety Commission to better regulate platforms, support survivors and be a leader nationally and globally 

• Education in schools that reflects the digital realities young people face and clearly addresses image-based abuse and deepfake harms

• Effective enforcement of the new offence to ensure consistent and appropriate police responses

• 
  

The scale of technology-facilitated abuse demonstrates that this cannot be a moment to wait and see. Preventative regulation, survivor-centred remedies, and sustained accountability across government and industry are now essential.

Further reading: 

• Report in The Guardian on the petition-submission and calls for further change

• News report from the End Violence Against Women coalition with further detail on the call to action

• My LinkedIn post acknowledging the role of survivors, journalists, civil society, activists and politicians in securing this change, as well as identifying next steps, particularly the role of chatbots in violence against women and girls.