Expanding Concepts of Non-Consensual Image-Disclosure Abuse: A Study of NCIDA in Pakistan

Non-Consensual Image-Disclosure Abuse (NCIDA) represents a subset of technology-facilitated sexual abuse where imagery and video with romantic or sexual connotations are used to control, extort, and otherwise harm victims. Despite considerable research on NCIDA, little is known about them in non-Western contexts. We investigate NCIDA in Pakistan, through interviews with victims, their relatives, and investigative officers; and observations of NCIDA cases being processed at a law enforcement agency. We find, first, that what constitutes NCIDA is much broader in Pakistan’s patriarchal society, and that its effects can be more severe than in Western contexts. On every dimension – types of content, perpetrators, impact on victims, and desired response by victims – our findings suggest an expansion of the concepts associated with NCIDA. We conclude by making technical and policy-level recommendations, both to address the specific context of Pakistan, and to enable a more global conception of NCIDA.