Attitudes towards sending nudes: Scale Construction & Validation

With the rapid technological advancements of the early 21st century, modes of sexual expression have evolved to normalise the exchange of self-taken sexual images via the internet. In the light of #MeToo, this phenomenon has gained wider recognition, not least due to a perceived rise in the sending of unsolicited nude images. A recent parliamentary publication highlights the importance of increasing women’s safety in public spaces (Parliament. House of Commons, 2018). According to previous polls and research, many women and girls report discomfort and distress upon receipt of an unsolicited nude image, which suggests an urgent need to develop strategies to make online spaces more safe, enjoyable and devoid of gender-based harassment. All of the above mentioned behaviours are widely understudied and any existing research lacks a universal tool to measure participants’ general attitudes towards the practice of exchanging nude images. This study outlines the construction and validation of the Attitudes Towards Sending Nudes scale