Hopes new laws will stop circulation of lewd images

From Monday, people found distributing intimate images of another person under the age of 18 and adults without their consent could face two years' jail.

The state government's 'sexting' laws incorporate threats to distribute image, which carries a potential sentence of 12 months' jail.

Eighteen-year-old Ellen Stammers, of Ballarat, said the advent of social media spin-offs like Snapchat had created a suggestive culture among some local youths.

"It happens all the time (people spreading images)," Ms Stammers said.

iPhone applications enabling a person to save an image without the knowledge of another person have contributed to this culture, she said.

"With Snapchat there's a false sense that people are only going to see the image for 10 seconds," she said.

Ms Stammers said there was a "naive" culture surrounding the spread of compromising photographs and many youngsters failed to understand the consequences of their actions.

She hoped the new laws would help people appreciate the psychological damage caused by a tap of a screen or crunch of a keyboard.

Lal Lal resident Nikki Parker, 17, said it was a person's choice to send images that could humiliate them, but insisted people shouldn't ask in the first place.

Paul Barresi, 18, from Ballarat, said the person who created the image should be responsible.

"If you're willing to degrade yourself (by taking an intimate image) you should be prepared to take the consequences if it goes viral," he said.

Youngsters under the age of 18 engaging in non-exploitative, consensual 'sexting' with a minor no less than two years younger than themselves won't be guilty of child pornography offences under the new laws.

Attorney-General Robert Clark said the new laws protect victims of malicious distribution of images, which he felt could cause considerable harm.

"It is important that the laws keeps up with rapid changes in the use of technology," he said.

william.vallely@fairfaxmedia.com.au