The B.C. government says victims of intimate image abuse can now receive more when suing for damages.

Since 2024, the province has enforced the Intimate Images Protection Act, helping seek justice for those who have had intimate images of them shared without their consent, including photoshopped and AI-generated images.

On Wednesday, Attorney General Niki Sharma announced the Act had been amended. Victims are now eligible to seek damages up to $75,000, which is 14 times higher than the previous $5,000 limit.

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Sharma says the increase sends “a clear message that non-consensual sharing of intimate images is unacceptable in B.C. and carries serious consequences.”

The province explained that victims can still also seek up to $35,000 in damages at provincial courts and any amount in the B.C. Supreme Court.

Under the Act, victims can access justice without a lengthy court process by applying online to the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT).

“Any victim of this form of sexualized violence where somebody’s threatening you or threatening to distribute an image without your consent, you can make a claim online very easily, it is open 24/7 just on your phone to the Civil Resolution Tribunal and say that you want this image taken down ,” the Attorney General said in an interview with CityNews.

“And they’ve been making orders sometimes the same day.”

When asked if the CRT members are qualified enough, Sharma says that “they have done a lot of training to take on this task.”

A little over two years since the Act came into force, the CRT has resolved 389 cases, with 97 still in progress, she adds.

“We have a victim support service too, to help support people through the process.”

Sharma adds that an important part of the change is that it gives the government the tools to challenge how companies, such as X, take down and delete harmful images.

“It shouldn’t be left up to the companies to decide what consent is or to decide whether it is an image they should take down or not,” the Attorney General said in an interview with CityNews.

“There should be some kind of protection from the government, like through this act that says here is what consent is and here are the facts.”

Other amendments to the Act have made it so the tribunal is not required to publish its decisions, protecting victims’ privacy.

Sharma says the Act is part of the province’s efforts to address gender-based violence, including demanding stronger protections for victims through reforms to the federal Criminal Code and bail system.

“The Intimate Images Protection Act is delivering real results for victims of sexualized violence, and this amendment is a step toward ensuring victims can get the justice they deserve.”

Praise for the amendment comes from various organizations, including the Children of the Street.

Its director says that the changes will strengthen the original legislation.

“At our in-school workshops across the province, we are educating parents, caregivers and youth about this issue. We talk about this legislation and the companion Intimate Images Protection Service, and how they work, turning this into accessible and actionable knowledge so young people can protect themselves and others in their lives,” director Jen Graham said in a written statement.

“This legislation is quite unique because it includes several support services for victims that go well beyond the enforcement mechanism for take-down orders and compensation, and British Columbians need to know about all of this for it to have the desired impact.”