Criminal and civil remedies when an ex shares intimate images of you online without your consent: the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.
This page provides legal information, not legal advice. Consult a qualified privacy lawyer or CIPP/C-accredited privacy professional before taking action on access requests, breach response, complaints to a Privacy Commissioner, or Federal Court applications.
Last verified: September 2026
TL;DR
This is a crime under section 162.1 of the Criminal Code. The routes are a police report, platform removal tools, a protection order, and civil remedies under the province's non-consensual intimate image statute.
Immediate steps
Evidence: URLs, screenshots, dates, usernames.
A report to the local police (the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre handles fraud, not intimate images).
Platform removal tools (most major platforms have dedicated forms).
StopNCII.org, which helps prevent further spread on participating platforms.
Criminal remedy
Section 162.1 of the Criminal Code makes non-consensual distribution a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of 10 years on indictment. Courts can order removal from a computer system under section 164.1.
Civil remedy
Many provinces have civil statutes that allow you to sue for damages and obtain removal orders (Manitoba, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, NL, NB, PEI). Damages can include general, aggravated, and punitive amounts.
Support
Reach out to victim services in your province, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection if youth are involved, or a lawyer who specializes in privacy torts.