Local Woman Warns: ‘North Coast Girls’ Reddit Group Is Targeting Women – It Must Be Stopped

Causeway Coast Women was contacted this week by a local woman who was left distressed and shaken after discovering that her image had been stolen from social media and used in a Reddit group in the most degrading, humiliating ways imaginable.. 

For her privacy, she has asked to remain anonymous and will be referred to as Rose.

In her own words, Rose said: “There is a group called 'northcoastgirls' on Reddit, whose participants are stealing North Coast women's photos from their social media pages and using them for sexual gratification.”

The group reportedly shares images of local women without their knowledge or consent, often accompanied by personal information. “They are including information such as their picture, name and what town they live in,” Rose explained. “They are also swapping pictures of these women privately between each other.”

Rose discovered she was one of the victims after her own image was uploaded to the group.

“They stole my picture from either Facebook or Instagram and uploaded it, asking, ‘Does anyone know who I am?’ Then all these creeps were commenting the most disgusting things about me and about my appearance.”

The comments, she said, were degrading and explicit. “I felt so violated. I cried, and have felt so uneasy and anxious ever since.”

She initially reported the post to Reddit, stating that the group was sexualising her and other women. Reddit responded by saying no rules had been broken.

“How??” she asked, still stunned. It wasn’t until she threatened a legal takedown notice, claiming copyright ownership over her image, that the platform took action. “Only then was my picture taken down!”

While her photo has since been removed, the group continues to operate, with other women’s images still online.

“I’m glad my picture and the comments have been taken down, but the other women are still there, and it’s so wrong. How is Reddit not monitoring this content?”

Adding to her frustration, Rose pointed out the protection anonymity provides to those involved.

“These men are using Reddit to be perverts because they can hide behind the username and profile picture that they create, so that it doesn't show any of their personal info – the irony of it!”

Rose also reported the issue to the PSNI using their non-emergency number.

She said, “They told me because the pictures weren't indecent, there was nothing they could do. Even though I saw in the group that they were saying they were sharing pictures between each other, there was nothing the police could do as I didn't have proof of this happening.”

She continued: “They also said there was no proof of these people in the group actually being from the North Coast, so that was another reason they couldn’t do anything. I was really disappointed with their response to me, to be honest.”

Rose’s experience has left her anxious, angry, and determined to raise awareness among others.

“I’m disgusted by this and honestly do not know how it can be legally allowed. I’ve reported the page and all the content which I feel goes against women’s rights.”

She’s urging other women to stay alert and take action: “If you come across anything, please report it, in the hope that the page can be taken down permanently. Women’s safety is everyone’s responsibility. The entire group is absolutely disgusting.”

Causeway Coast Women stands with Rose in her call for accountability and protection. This is not a one-off. It is a systemic failure of both online platforms and policing structures to protect women from digital exploitation.