Coming into force on June 4, 2025, the Act to Combat the Non-Consensual Sharing of Intimate Images (Act P-9.0002) aims to protect victims of image-based sexual abuse (often referred to as “revenge porn”) by providing a new legal remedy. Although the non-consensual distribution of intimate images is already criminalized at the federal level, Act P-9.0002 introduces, for the first time in Québec, a rapid, accessible, and victim-centred civil remedy.
Sexual cyberviolence disproportionately affects young women: in Canada, 33% of women aged 15 to 24 report having experienced sexual cyberviolence, including the non-consensual sharing of intimate images or the receipt of unwanted explicit images 1.
Eight years after the adoption of Act P-22.1, Act P-9.0002 specifically addresses cyberviolence and represents a step forward in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in postsecondary institutions.
This article provides an overview of the Act, its alignment with SGBV prevention policies in postsecondary institutions, and a critical reflection on its limitations, both in terms of content and its practical implementation.
A New Tool in the Fight Against cyberviolence
Cyberviolence is defined as “any form of psychological, emotional, physical, social, or financial harm inflicted through digital technologies and online platforms2.”
It affects 61% of women and gender-diverse individuals, compared to 53% of the general Canadian population²; this is referred to as gender-based cyberviolence.
Cyberviolence can take many forms—harassment, exploitation, threats, identity theft—and is often rooted in sexism, misogyny, and other forms of discrimination. According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, women and gender-diverse individuals who are black, indigenous, racialized, living with disabilities, and/or aged 18 to 25 are more likely to be targeted.
Among the most common forms of gender-based cyberviolence, the non-consensual sharing of intimate images occupies a central place. Act P-9.0002 defines an “intimate image” as follows 3:
“An intimate image is any image, whether altered or not, depicting or appearing to depict a person who is either naked or partially naked, exposing their breasts, genitals, anal region, or buttocks, or engaging in explicit sexual activity when they could reasonably expect their privacy to be protected […]. Any visual or audio recording, or any live broadcast, is considered an image…”
The Act allows a targeted individual to request an urgent court order to stop the distribution of their images and to seek compensation. This legal remedy is distinguished by the possibility of obtaining a rapid decision—sometimes within a few days—aimed at the immediate removal of the content. Financial penalties and, in some cases, imprisonment may also apply.
The Law and Postsecondary Institutions
In cegeps and universities, Act P-9.0002 complements Act P-22.1, which requires each institution to adopt an internal policy for the prevention of and support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
Considering that more than one third of the college and university student population in Québec report having experienced SGBV within their institutions⁴,⁵, Act P-9.0002 provides a legal remedy addressing a specific reality: digital sexual violence.
However, the Act does not address prevention, awareness, or internal support for survivors. Institutions must therefore continue to implement their own support measures, in addition to the legal remedy.
Specialized Community Resources for Cyberviolence
In addition to the legal remedy, several specialized community resources provide essential, free, and confidential support to individuals affected by cyberviolence.
A Canadian platform to report the sexual exploitation of children or youth online and to obtain assistance for problematic content.
Phone: 1 866 658-9022
A support line for youth (up to 20 years old) affected by various issues, including cyberbullying.
Phone: 1 800 263-2266
A Canadian platform to report the sexual exploitation of children or youth online and to obtain assistance for problematic content.
Phone: 1 866 658-9022
A Québec-based directory to understand and address cyberviolence. The site provides advice, information, and resources to help regain control of digital tools.
Free training and resources to recognize, protect yourself from, and respond to online threats.
A provincial helpline and referral service for survivors of sexual assault, their loved ones, and health professionals. Live chat is available from noon to midnight.
Phone: 1-888-933-9007
Practical Perspectives: Challenges in Campus Implementation
Despite the progress represented by Act P-9.0002, its implementation in postsecondary institutions presents several challenges:
- Staff training: Supervisory teams need to be trained to recognize situations of cyberviolence, respond appropriately to disclosures, and guide students effectively;
- Student community awareness: Peers play a key role in combating SGBV. Training on helpful responses, active bystander behaviour, and understanding cyberviolence are essential;
- Clarifying available remedies: Institutional and legal channels must be accessible, well known, and clearly explained in internal policies.
These issues highlight the importance for institutions to go beyond a purely reactive approach and to invest sustainably in prevention, training, and support. By combining mastery of legal tools with strong institutional policies, postsecondary institutions can foster safer environments for all.
Intersectional Analysis: Differential Impacts of Cyberviolence
An intersectional analysis helps us understand that cyberviolence is neither experienced nor addressed uniformly. While Act P-9.0002 provides an important legal mechanism, its effects vary across communities. Several obstacles remain:
- Access to justice: Legal proceedings can be intimidating and costly, and Québec’s legal aid system is overburdened. Low-income students, newcomers, or those with little experience with the Québec judicial system may face difficulties asserting their rights;
- Invisibility of marginalized communities: Individuals from sexual and gender-diverse backgrounds, racialized individuals, or those belonging to minority communities often experience faster online dissemination of images and increased stigmatization². The law provides legal protection but does not address social consequences or systemic discrimination;
- Indigenous communities: Historically strained relationships with the justice system, geographic realities, and structural, social, and economic inequalities create additional barriers to using legal remedies. Less protected under Act P-22.1, Indigenous communities—especially women—are disproportionately affected by SGBV;
- People with disabilities: Access to information, procedures, and services may be limited if accessibility measures are inadequate—both within institutions and in the judicial system.
Finally, it is essential to remember that even when a case of cyberviolence is properly addressed, the response must extend beyond legal sanctions. The socioeconomic consequences of SGBV for survivors are significant and long-term, including the risks of dropping out of school or work, anxiety, depression, fear, isolation, and more. Support procedures must, therefore, include a long-term follow-up for survivors.
Conclusion
Act P-9.0002 represents a major legal tool for combating the non-consensual sharing of intimate images in Québec. However, it does not guarantee equitable protection for all individuals. An intersectional approach is necessary to understand the law’s limitations and to ensure that marginalized communities have real and effective access to its protections.
Postsecondary institutions, by aligning this law with their internal policies, can create a safer and more inclusive environment. However, this requires preventive work across the entire academic community, as well as concrete, accessible, tailored, and long-term support for students’ diverse realities.
Finally, like many legal remedies, Act P-9.0002 relies primarily on the individual actions of survivors. This model tends to place responsibility on victims rather than targeting platforms, perpetrators, or the digital culture that enables such violence. A broader movement of accountability—at the institutional, social, and technological levels—is necessary to achieve systemic change in the culture of violence. Without a transformation of digital cultures and collective responsibilities, laws, no matter how necessary, will remain only partial tools.
References
- Conseil du statut de la femme. (2022). Étude L’hostilité en ligne envers les femmes. Disponible sur : L’hostilité en ligne envers les femmes
- Fondation Canadienne des Femmes (février 2022). Lutter contre la violence numérique fondée sur le genre. Disponible sur : Rapport de recherche Lutter contre la violence numérique fondée sur le genre
- Assemblée nationale du Québec. (2024, 4 juin). RLPQ, c. P-9.0002. Loi visant à contrer le partage sans consentement d’images intimes. Disponible sur p-9.0002 – Loi visant à contrer le partage sans consentement d’images intimes
- Bergeron, M., M. Hébert, S. Ricci, M.-F. Goyer, N. Duhamel et L. Kurtzman (2016). Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal. Disponible sur : Violences sexuelles en milieu universitaire au Québec : Rapport de recherche de l’enquête ESSIMU
Bergeron, M., A. Gagnon, M.-È. Blackburn, D. M-Lavoie, C. Paré, S. Roy, A. Szabo et C. Bourget (2020). Montréal, Québec, Chaire de recherche sur les violences sexistes et sexuelles en milieu d’enseignement supérieur, Université du Québec à Montréal. Disponible sur : Rapport de recherche de l’enquête PIECES : violences sexuelles en milieu collégial au Québec
