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ABC News
ABC News
National

The public sharing of intimate images without consent is a growing problem in Australia. And teenagers are paying the price

When Jess, 16, had an intimate video shared without her consent, she says it felt like "her world fell down" around her. (ABC: Katie McAllister)

Imagine opening social media only to be greeted with an intimate photo of yourself you didn't know existed. Or one you were sure had been deleted. Maybe you took the photo but shared it with only one other person and now it's popped up in group chats where people you don't even know can see it.

A growing number of teenagers, most of them young women, don't have to imagine. They know how the shock can knock the wind out of you, how the violation leaves you frazzled and on edge, and what it's like to walk around wondering if everyone you pass has already seen it.

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