Researching the boundaries of sexual integrity, gender violence and image-based abuse

This special issue brings together nineteen topical and innovative papers, researching the boundaries of sexual integrity and affirmative sexual consent, gender violence, and image-based or online sexual abuse, including child sexual abuse material and non-consensual sexual deepfakes. It offers an original and nuanced approach to understanding the important legal elements, various agents and harms of topic-related deviant conduct as well as legislative processes aimed at tackling it. In light of recent societal developments, including changes in societal sensibilities, and recent or on-going legislative amendments at national and supranational levels, research on these topics is timely and much needed.
Gert Vermeulen is Senior Full Professor of European and international criminal law, sexual criminal law and data protection law, Department Chair Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law, and Director of the Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP), all at Ghent University. He is also General Director Publications of the AIDP, and Editor-in-chief of the RIDP.
Nina Peršak is Scientific Director and Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Criminal-Law Ethics and Criminology (Ljubljana), Full Professor of Law, University of Maribor (habilitation), Academic Consultant at the Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP), Ghent University, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the RIDP.
Stéphanie De Coensel is an FWO Postdoctoral Researcher and Visiting Professor in Advanced Criminal Law at the Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP), Ghent University, and Editorial Secretary of the RIDP.