Understanding Image-Based Sexual Abuse through Greek Public and Legal Lenses: A Constructionist Thematic Analysis

Image-Based Sexual Abuse (IBSA), including deepfake sexual abuse - where fake yet lifelike sexual content is generated of non-consenting persons - constitutes a growing form of digitally mediated gender-based violence that remains largely under-researched within non-Anglophonic contexts. This study explores how IBSA is constructed and perceived by both laypeople and lawyers in Greece, a Southern European setting characterised by economic precarity, traditional gender norms, and evolving yet challenging legal frameworks. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 21 participants either originating from or living in Greece (n = 16 lay persons, n = 5 legal professionals), we employed constructionist thematic analysis to examine how participants discursively frame IBSA, its motivations, barriers to reporting, legal challenges, and preventative measures. Five themes were identified: (1) constructions of IBSA as gendered violence motivated by control, humiliation, and financial exploitation; (2) barriers to reporting shaped by shame, stigma, and widespread mistrust in police institutions; (3) legal barriers related to financial inaccessibility and fragmented, outdated legal frameworks; (4) the central role of informal support networks alongside calls for education and public awareness; and (5) deepfake technologies as an emergent form of economic exploitation, particularly impacting sex workers within a legal vacuum. The findings highlight the need for structurally informed, context-sensitive responses to IBSA that address the intersections of gender, law, technology, and economic vulnerability.