POLICE and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire Julia Mulligan has renewed calls for a change in the law over revenge porn.

She appeared on national television and radio on Thursday after a BBC investigation showed one in three allegations of revenge porn - where intimate images are shared without consent - were withdrawn by the complainant.

Mrs Mulligan started an online petition in 2016 calling for changes to the law, which does not currently guarantee anonymity for victims in the same way a sexual offence would.

She said: “I have been pressing for a change to the law for two years now, and will keep going until I see the changes I know victims need. It cannot be right that victims can be prevented coming forwards because they fear being publicly named, and having no protection from the media should their case go to court. Victims have to be better protected.

“To build a stronger evidence base for changing the law, I will be launching a survey targeted at revenge porn victims in the coming weeks. I hope this will prove once and for all that the law as it stands is letting down victims. The #NoMoreNaming campaign continues, and if anyone wants to sign the petition or find out more, please visit nomorenaming.com.”

Since revenge porn was made a criminal offence in 2015, BBC figures suggested victims had chosen not to support charges in 2,813 cases out of 7,806, with some alleged victims claiming it was due to the lack of anonymity, or lack of police support.