Facts Offensive photographing
If someone takes a picture or a screenshot of you online without your knowledge or consent, it can be illegal.
Offensive photographing is when a picture is taken of you in a place that you have understood as private. This means that it does not matter what the picture is of, or if the picture has been spread. The photographing in itself is illegal.
When you’re skyping or video chatting with someone and that person takes a print screen/screenshot or takes a picture of you without your permission or knowledge, that person is breaking the law.
Gather digital evidence and file a police report. It is never your fault when this happens, and it is not uncommon in romantic relationships or friendships.
Advice Gather digital evidence
Document and save everything that can be used to investigate what has happened.
Advice File a police report!
File a police report, even if it does not lead to a charge, it’s important to report so that statistics can show that the internet is for real.
Advice You are not alone, get support!
Get help from the people around you. You do not have to be alone in this. Cyber hate falls within the responsibility of the employer, school, association or organization.
Advice Take your mental health seriously
Put your mental health first. Sometimes, it can be important to take a break from social media accounts. Let someone else take care of or clear out your social media.
Offensive photographing sometimes happens in combination with other crimes.
Often, offensive photographing happens at the same time as harassment or sexual harassment. The person who is doing this to you might threaten to show the picture of you to get power in your relationship, or to get something from you. Contact the police immediately.
If you suspect that a picture has been taken but you don’t have any more information or evidence, it’s hard for the police to do anything. In that case, look for support and gather other evidence of the situation. For example, you can write down your feelings, the time, and your memories of the situation and tell someone close to you. That way, if it happens again, someone will have witnessed your earlier worry.
Chapter 4§ 6a Swedish Penal Code
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