The ‘sadistic’ form of coercive abuse becoming increasingly common
A man in NSW has pleaded guilty to coercive abuse involving the theft and weaponisation of a woman's intimate images, using them to force her into continued contact. The case highlights the growing prevalence of image-based abuse, often facilitated by digital access and manipulation. Experts warn of the sadistic nature of such abuse, which inflicts psychological harm and control through humiliation.
- ▪Malachi Turnbull stole intimate photos from Ashley's phone after helping her set up a new device, then used them to coerce her into maintaining contact.
- ▪Turnbull shared a blurred image of Ashley's naked torso on his Instagram profile and listed her phone number, leading to public exposure.
- ▪He sent Ashley a screen recording of her 'My eyes only' Snapchat folder, which contained graphic videos of her and her ex-partner.
- ▪Turnbull sent up to 100 texts a day, used offensive language, and threatened to share more content if she did not respond.
- ▪The case has raised concerns about the increasing complexity and emotional toll of image-based abuse, also known as 'revenge porn'.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","dateModified":"2026-04-28T19:00:00Z","datePublished":"2026-04-28T19:00:00Z","description":"In one case, a man stole a female acquaintance’s intimate photos and weaponised the material to force her into maintaining contact.","headline":"The ‘sadistic’ form of coercive abuse becoming increasingly common","keywords":"Courts, For subscribers, Crime, Crime, Courts, Just in SMH","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Clare Sibthorpe","jobTitle":"Crime…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.