4 in 10 Korean women targeted by illegal filming, deepfake abuse say perpetrator was an ex

A stark increase in technology-facilitated abuse within intimate relationships is emerging in South Korea, with a recent government survey revealing that nearly 40% of women subjected to illegal filming or deepfake sexual abuse identified a former romantic partner as the perpetrator. This figure represents a threefold rise from just three years prior, when only 13.8% reported ex-partners as offenders.

The study, conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, surveyed over 10,000 individuals aged 19 to 64. It found that victimization by current partners also saw a significant increase, rising from 10.3% to 18.1%, while cases involving spouses more than doubled from 6.0% to 13.4%. Conversely, the proportion of victims reporting perpetrators as complete strangers dropped sharply from 47.6% in 2022 to 14.6% in the latest survey.

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The trend appears to reflect a combination of 'desires to retaliate against former partners or inflict sexual humiliation after a relationship ends, and changes in the technological environment, such as generative AI.'

Experts attribute this alarming trend to a combination of factors, including "desires to retaliate against former partners or inflict sexual humiliation after a relationship ends, and changes in the technological environment, such as generative AI," according to Kim Seong-cheol, director general for safety and human rights policy at the ministry. The increasing accessibility and sophistication of technology appear to be amplifying existing relationship dynamics into severe forms of abuse.

Furthermore, the survey indicates a disturbing shift in how victims discover that illicit images or deepfake content of themselves has been distributed. While previously most victims learned of distribution through acquaintances (75.1% in 2022), the latest survey shows a significant portion now become aware after receiving threats from the perpetrator (32.3%), with only 34.1% learning through people they know. Choi Ran, deputy director of the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, suggests this change is closely linked to the rise in cases involving former partners, who may use threats of distribution as a form of intimidation or control.

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The findings suggest an increase in former partners threatening to distribute illegal recordings or deepfake content as a means of intimidation, and in some cases carrying out those threats.