A Victorian school community is stagger after artificial intelligence was used to generate fake, sexually explicit images of female students after which shared on social media.
About 50 highschool students from Bacchus Marsh Grammar were photographed. One teenager was arrested and released pending further investigation. The parents have described the photographs as “incredibly graphic” and “disgusting”.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated case. Last month, a highschool student from Victoria was expelled after using AI to create sexually explicit Pictures of a teacherThis comes amid warnings that AI will grow to be a Increase in sextortion reports.
It also follows several cases by which male students have used misogynistic and derogatory terms about female fellow students, including a spreadsheet to rank students from “wife” to “not rapable.”
Our research shows that it isn’t unusual for young people to harass and abuse their peers, so how can parents and schools respond?
Just since it's AI doesn't mean it's okay
Sharing sexually explicit images of youngsters (under 18 years of age) and distributing them without their consent (no matter age) is image-based abuse – even when AI has been used or the photographs have been altered in any way.
As the eSafety Officer explainsIt continues to be abuse if the image or video:
altered or falsified to make it appear to be you (or) shared in a way that makes others think it’s you when it isn’t (akin to a nude photo of one other person tagged along with your name).
As the Commissioner also explains, there are criminal laws that cover this abuse and the police may give you the option to research. Last week, the Federal Government also latest laws introduced Parliament to strengthen protection against ‘deepfakes’ (the usage of AI to generate a false representation of an actual person).
But other than the legal consequences, this abuse can also be extremely harmful and stressful for those affected.
A Investigation 2023 The Stanford Internet Observatory has found that some AI models use a database of existing child sexual abuse material to generate latest images, meaning that real children are being exploited to generate sexually explicit images of much more children.
What does research say?
Research shows clearly Sexual abuse and sexual harassment are a gender-specific problem. Women, girls and other people of various genders are disproportionately affected. And men and boys are significantly more more likely to commit these crimes.
The Australian study on child abuse found that adolescents also make up a big proportion of perpetrators of kid sexual abuse and sexual harassment. The results, collected in 2021, also showed that this proportion has increased over time.
In total, 18.2% of participants Those aged 16 to 24 reported being sexually abused by a teenager during their childhood, in comparison with 12.1% of those aged 45 and over.
More than 15% of participants were female and 24% were gender diverse aged 16 years and older. reported of getting been sexually harassed by an adolescent during their childhood, in comparison with 5% of men.
More than 90% of people that experienced peer sexual harassment were male peers.
Why does this occur?
As our research shows, we have now a cultural problem with gender-based violence in Australia.
Easy access to pornography and technologies akin to AI have likely exacerbated this problem. Children are exposed to pornography, including violent content, at a young age. A 2024 Australian study found that greater than 52% of men and 32% of ladies aged 14 reported having watched pornography.
Viewing pornography is related to the sexual objectification of ladiesIntentionally viewing violent material rated “X” can also be related to a big increase within the likelihood of sexually aggressive behavior.
Diego Fedele/AAP
What can we do against it?
Part of the answer could possibly be Age verification technology for adult web sites, research also shows We must take a primary prevention approach, which suggests we’d like to try to forestall such a behavior from happening in the primary place.
This will inevitably require a change in cultural norms around violence and gender amongst all young people, with parents and schools playing a key role on this.
What can parents do?
Parents need to offer their children the chance to discuss sensitive and worrying things. You can do that by:
1. Speak early
Help your child feel comfortable talking to you by starting conversations early. Conversations about bodily autonomy and bounds can begin in elementary school. As your child grows, conversations Conversations about consent, healthy relationships, porn, and sexting can even begin. Listen to what your child has to say.
2. Have regular conversations
We cannot expect children to simply accept or answer their parents’ questions well the primary time or each time. So keep conversations short and regularLet your child guide you.
3. Respond to concerns
Stay calm, confer with your child and take heed to them. Focus on their wellbeing by asking how they’re feeling and what you may do to support them. Also look out for signs that they could need further support, akin to talking to high school, the police or To create a report to the eSafety Commission.
What should schools do?
Schools are also a vital a part of the community response. Research shows School programs that address sexual violence and cultural norms around gender will be effective. Some things schools can do include:
1. Provide training and resources for workers
Employees need clear policies and procedures for react effectively And Reporting to the relevant authorities if sexual harassment, assault or child abuse occurs.
2. Comprehensive sex education for college kids
Research shows Sex education can prevent harmful behavior by teaching children and young people about healthy relationships, boundaries, and informed and enthusiastic consent. This education must also address the problems of pornography, sexting, and online safety.
3. Ensure strong school leadership
School leaders are answerable for the culture and practices of their schools. They must adopt a zero-tolerance attitude towards anything that normalises stereotypes, demeaning comments, violence or misogyny. Children in a college must have the chance to boost their concerns with adults and know that they can be listened to and believed.
