🔗 Share this article Transitioning from BDSM Practitioner to Tech Founder: An Unconventional Campaign Against Intimate Image Abuse Madelaine Thomas explains her first-hand ordeal of having her intimate images leaked gives her a unique insight as a tech founder. Professional dominatrix Madelaine Thomas embodies not at all your standard tech founder. Following multiple occurrences of individuals distributing her intimate photographs, she felt "sufficiently outraged to take action" and looked to technology for a solution. "Those were beautiful pictures, I'm not ashamed of the pictures, I'm embarrassed of the manner that they were used against me by someone who I have never met," said Madelaine. Madelaine has won multiple accolades including the Tech Safety Innovation award at a major industry conference. Just over a year since founding her company, Image Angel, which uses invisible forensic watermarking to identify abusers, has won several awards and was recommended as exemplary procedure in an government-commissioned study recently. This represents quite a departure from her previous career in offering BDSM services, working with clients in the realms of BDSM. The Pervasive Problem Intimate image abuse, commonly known as revenge porn, is a criminal offence with offenders risking two years in prison. It is far from an issue uniquely experienced by those in the sex industry. A report indicates that approximately 1.42% of the UK female population is impacted by intimate image abuse each year. Madelaine, thirty-seven, explained victims endured feelings of humiliation. "In my view a lot of people will say, 'you put a private image out on the internet, what do you anticipate?'," she said. "I expect dignity, I expect respect, and I expect confidence, and I don't see why those are negotiable," she added. "The fact that those images could be subsequently distributed where I live or with people I love and employed to cause them pain, that's beyond, that's not my choice, that's not my mistake, that's an individual committing abuse." Madelaine aims her technology will prevent would-be individuals from sharing photos non-consensually. A Unique Journey Madelaine has been working as a professional dominatrix, mainly online, for 10 years and always found her work liberating and satisfying. "I am as a dominant woman, a woman who is confident and powerful, giving my body as a treat to someone of my own volition," she said. "People think it's strange but I don't see it any differently to a nutritionist or an financial advisor providing a service," she remarked. She welcomes being something of an anomaly in the technology sector. "I understand that it's unconventional, it's remarkable to think that someone who was a dominatrix is now a founder of a tech company, but it required someone who has experienced it firsthand to understand the loopholes and the modifications that needed to happen," she explained. She maintained she was not technically inclined and was able to build her company after a lot of late nights, investigation and "bugging people" who understand tech. How Does the Technology Work? Image Angel can be used by any online platform where people share images, for instance dating apps, social media and online sites. When an image is viewed by a user, it is automatically embedded with an undetectable digital marker which is specific to that viewer. This covert marker is encoded within the copy of the image itself and can withstand screen shots, being altered and being re-captured with a different camera. It ensures that if you find out your image has been shared non-consensually, providing the platform you used has the system integrated, the sharer's information will be encoded in the image and can be retrieved by a forensic expert so action can be taken. Currently, one platform has adopted her tech and she's in discussions with several more. An Established Method for a New Purpose "This technology already exists in the film industry, it already exists in sports broadcasting so this is not brand new technology, it's just a new application and a different framework," said Madelaine. "And we've tested it, we're partnering with a firm that has 30 years experience in developing technology so we are confident that this is solid and what we now need to do is test it at scale," she continued. She said she hoped the technology would also act as a preventive measure to potential intimate image abusers. Changing the Narrative An expert from a leading helpline commented she had seen first-hand the panic, distress and self-blame this abuse caused for victims. "If that self-blame is reinforced by a uninformed acquaintance or professional who says 'well, why did you take those images in the first place?' that self blame can really be deepened so it's really important that the support somebody is provided with is that they have committed no error," she stated. She added it was inspiring that Madelaine was using her experience to bring about change, adding: "It is really important to have this comprehensive strategy towards tackling technology-enabled gender-based abuse, because no one tool is going to be able to solve this problem, no one helpline, it needs to be this integrated effort." Both women have been victims of having their private photos shared non-consensually. TV presenter Jess Davies was just 15 when photographs of her in a state of undress were circulated within her town. It was the first of several incidents Jess experienced in her youth that would later shape her advocacy work. "It took so long, too long for someone to tell me, 'it wasn't your fault' and 'that was wrong'," recalled Jess. She too is passionate about eliminating the shame of this crime from the victims to the perpetrators. "There is no offence to willingly share an photo to someone," said Jess. "However, it is illegal to distribute that without consent and I think that should always be where the responsibility is," she affirmed.