Distributing Intimate Images Without Consent: A Digital-Age Crime With Serious Consequences
The rise of digital technology has brought unprecedented connectivity, but it has also fueled new forms of harm. A recent case out of Cambridge, Ontario, is a stark reminder of the serious criminal consequences for those who violate a person’s privacy by distributing explicit content without consent.
Waterloo Regional Police recently announced a new round of charges against 37-year-old Justin Garzon of Cambridge, who is facing a raft of allegations following an international child exploitation investigation that began in 2025. Among the extensive list of charges laid in late November 2025 was the crucial offense of distributing intimate images without consent. The investigation has been ongoing, with police services across Canada and international partners coordinating to identify further victims and review digital evidence.
For survivors, the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images, often referred to as “revenge porn,” represents a profound violation of dignity and privacy that can result in long-lasting emotional distress and reputational damage.
The charges in this case underscore the gravity of Canada’s law on this matter. The non-consensual sharing of an intimate image is specifically criminalized under Section 162.1 of the Criminal Code. This offense is considered a serious crime, and for a conviction pursued by indictment, an accused individual can face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The law also defines an “intimate image” broadly, covering any visual recording where a person is nude, exposing private areas, or engaged in sexual activity, provided there was a reasonable expectation of privacy.
The severity of the punishment reflects the growing prevalence of this crime in the digital landscape. Data collected by Statistics Canada highlighted a troubling trend, reporting an 80 percent increase in police-reported incidents of non-consensual sharing of intimate images nationwide between 2014 and 2020. Experts believe that the actual number of incidents is much higher, as victims often hesitate to come forward due to stigma and embarrassment.
The nature of this crime continues to evolve as technology advances. In addition to sharing original photos and videos, law enforcement and victims now face the challenge of sexually explicit deepfakes, where digital tools are used to create realistic non-consensual imagery of real people. The proliferation of this material has led to government investigations and new legislative proposals aimed at giving victims better legal recourse to sue creators for damages.
The ongoing investigation in the Cambridge case serves as a powerful public warning. Law enforcement agencies are dedicating significant resources to pursuing and prosecuting digital crimes that cause immense personal harm, ensuring that even in the vast expanse of the internet, perpetrators of these acts are held accountable.