An elite school is facing a scandal after explicit images of female students were circulated online, resulting in the arrest of a teenage boy.
Police are investigating after dozens of girls at Bacchus Marsh Grammar, northwest of Melbourne, reported fake AI nude images had been created and shared on social media.
Up to 50 students in Year 9 to 12 were affected by the graphic images, which were shared on Instagram and Snapchat.
Faces of the girls had been used to generate the nude images, the school confirmed on Tuesday.
A teenager had been arrested over the incident, but Victoria Police confirmed he had been released pending further inquiries.
“Officers have been told a number images were sent to a person in the Melton area via an online platform on Friday, 7 June,” police said in a statement.“ Police have arrested a teenager in relation to explicit images being circulated online. He was released pending further inquiries.”
Police are continuing to investigate the incident, while school principal Andrew Neal said the girls who were affected had their faces taken from social media before they were manipulated.
He described the incident as “obscene”.
“It’s appalling. It is something that strikes to the heart of students, particularly girls growing up at this age,” Mr Neal said, according to the ABC.
“They should be able to learn and go about their business without this kind of nonsense.”
Mr Neal said the school is currently working with police to get the images removed.
They are also working to find the person responsible for the release of the images.
Mr Neal said while it is believed the person responsible may be at the school, police are not ruling out other possibilities.
Police confirmed an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The school was first made aware of the images on Monday and have said the matter is being taken “very seriously”.
“The wellbeing of our students and their families is paramount,” the school said in a statement.
Bacchus Marsh Grammar is offering support to affected students and their families, with Mr Neal saying the incident was not reflective of the school community.
He said the behaviour should be dealt with in “as firm a way as possible”.
