Gardaí are investigating a number of reports concerning the posting, sharing and uploading of personal images online of women in the South east.
Over 200 women in Wexford have been included on a list published by an anonymous Snapchat account claiming to have personal or compromising pictures of them.
Gardaí in that county say they’re aware of the threats and are encouraging victims to come forward.
While Garda Press has issued the following statement to KCLR News: “An Garda Síochána in the Eastern Region is investigating a number of reports concerning the posting, sharing and uploading of personal images online.The publication and/ or sharing of intimate images without consent is a criminal offence. An Garda Síochána fully recognises that the publication of intimate images without the consent of individuals causes great upset and trauma to them.Any person who is concerned that they have been a victim following the uploading of personal explicit imagery online without their consent, at any time, should contact their local Garda Station.”
Journalist with the Wexford People, Padraig Byrne, says investigators are trying to establish if the scam’s the work of one man or a group; “Gardai are aware of a number of accounts, there are more than one, but it seems like in the majority of cases it could be photos that were shared with a partner or boyfriend at the time that were subsequently leaked or passed on or shared in Whatsapp groups or whatever that have somehow found their way into these peoples hands and are now being shared on this anonymous page”.
He’s added that while the bulk that he’s aware of are in Wexford, he knows others from neighbouring counties have been impacted.
