Why this happens

Intimate images shared inside a relationship survive long after the relationship ends. The most common trigger is a contested breakup, a new partner, or financial dispute.

Most leaks are first posted to platforms the perpetrator believes are anonymous. They rarely are. Account metadata, IP logs, and payment records routinely identify the source.

Legal framework in Mexico

Ley Olimpia (federal reform of 2021 to the Código Penal Federal article 199 Octies and the General Law of Women's Access to a Life Free of Violence), plus state level implementations. From 3 to 6 years imprisonment plus fine of 500 to 1000 days minimum wage units under federal article 199 Octies. State penalties vary.

Mexico's Ley Olimpia, named for activist Olimpia Coral Melo, began as a Puebla state law in 2018 and became federal in 2021. All 32 Mexican states now criminalise digital violence including non consensual distribution of intimate content.

Evidence to preserve

Do not: Do not contact the ex partner before evidence is preserved and notices are filed. Confrontation gives them time to delete content and craft a denial.

Five step removal process

  1. 1

    Preserve all evidence first

    Full page screenshot of every URL where the content appears, with the URL bar visible. The username or account handle that posted the content.

  2. 2

    File the Ley Olimpia criminal complaint

    Report to local police or the national cybercrime unit. Frente Nacional para la Sororidad can assist.

  3. 3

    Submit an erasure request under Ley Federal de Protección de Datos Personales en Posesión de los Particulares (rights of access, rectification, cancellation, opposition)

    Each major platform has a designated data protection contact. The request must cite the legal basis and identify the URLs. The platform has 30 days to respond. INAI accepts complaints for non compliance.

  4. 4

    Run a biometric scan to find every additional copy

    Content posted to one platform is rarely confined to one platform. ScanErase identifies every current hosting location in a single scan, including mirror copies and AI generated variants.

  5. 5

    File TAKE IT DOWN Act notices for covered platforms

    Use your scan report to file the federal 48 hour notice yourself, in parallel with your domestic rights. The two regimes are cumulative, not exclusive.

Statutory citations to include in your complaint

Frequently asked questions

Is leaked by ex a crime in Mexico?

Yes. Ley Olimpia (federal reform of 2021 to the Código Penal Federal article 199 Octies and the General Law of Women's Access to a Life Free of Violence), plus state level implementations criminalises this conduct. From 3 to 6 years imprisonment plus fine of 500 to 1000 days minimum wage units under federal article 199 Octies. State penalties vary.

What evidence should a Mexico victim of leaked by ex preserve?

Full page screenshot of every URL where the content appears, with the URL bar visible. The username or account handle that posted the content. Any direct messages, texts, or emails from the ex partner referencing the content. The original image metadata if you still have the source file, which can prove provenance.

Does Ley Federal de Protección de Datos Personales en Posesión de los Particulares (rights of access, rectification, cancellation, opposition) apply to this scenario?

Yes. Ley Federal de Protección de Datos Personales en Posesión de los Particulares (rights of access, rectification, cancellation, opposition) gives the victim a direct erasure right against any platform processing the imagery. INAI enforces non compliance.

What support is available in Mexico for leaked by ex?

Frente Nacional para la Sororidad provides direct support to victims and can assist with both the criminal complaint and the platform removal process. Contact at https://www.frentesororidad.org.

Can a Mexico victim also file a US TAKE IT DOWN Act notice?

Yes when the hosting platform is subject to US jurisdiction. The 48 hour federal removal obligation runs in parallel with rights under Ley Olimpia and Ley Federal de Protección de Datos Personales en Posesión de los Particulares (rights of access, rectification, cancellation, opposition).