Select committee: Women and Equalities Committee

Recommendation 2

4th Report – Tackling non-consensual intimate image abuse Published 5 Mar 2025 Addressed to Government Equalities Office
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The list of offences that are within scope of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is out of date. Crimes perpetrated online, such as non-consensual intimate image abuse, can be just as damaging to a person as those involving physical violence. They can have a catastrophic impact on a person’s mental health. It is essential that victims of such crimes are able to access compensation. (Conclusion, Paragraph 25)

From: Women and Equalities Committee, 4th Report – Tackling non-consensual intimate image abuse (HC 336), 5 March 2025

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 20 May 2025 (deadline 5 May 2025).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government gives a mixed response, rejecting a majority of the recommendations while accepting some in full or in part and pointing to existing provisions and the forthcoming VAWG Strategy.

  • On the Revenge Porn Helpline, it records "Partial acceptance" and is providing £300,000 for 2025/26 (up from £210,000), with funding beyond that "determined through the Spring Spending Review".
  • It rejects bringing online sexual offences and NCII within the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, saying this would "fundamentally alter the purpose of the Scheme".
  • It rejects a statutory civil process, citing "little evidence" about the British Columbia model and overlap with existing routes, but says it "will consider this further" in developing the VAWG Strategy.
  • It accepts the recommendation on nudification apps, saying it is "actively looking at options" and "will update the Committee on this in due course".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error