“Our changes will give police and prosecutors the powers they need to bring these cowards to justice, safeguarding women and girls from such vile abuse,” he added.

The changes to the Online Safety Bill have also criminalised the sharing of deepfake intimate images.

Deepfakes are explicit photos which have been manipulated digitally to make them look like another person, which are typically shared maliciously and without that person’s consent.

Research has found that one in seven women and one in nine men in the UK aged between 18 and 34 have faced threats about sharing intimate images.

Earlier this year, Refuge published research showing that charging rates are currently very low in intimate image abuse cases.

13,860 offences were recorded in total between 1 January 2019 and 31 July 2022 across 24 police forces in England and Wales, but the alleged offender was only charged or summoned to court in just 4% of those offences.

If you or someone you know is a victim of online abuse or revenge porn, contact the police to report a crime, visit Refuge or call their freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. You can also find advice via their specially designed tech safety tool.

Revenge porn: changes to Online Safety Bill will make it easier to prosecute perpetrators