Revenge porn is a relatively new issue, with the increase in
social media websites and more access to the internet it has become much more
accessible in recent years. So what is revenge porn? Revenge porn is when
private and sexually explicit videos and photos are shared, this is not
necessarily exclusively on the internet as it can also include distributing it
in other ways. The term was rarely heard of up until a few years ago however
recently it has been an issue frequently discussed in forums, on the news and
online. The main goal of revenge porn is explained as a way of humiliating
former lovers and can happen both when the victim willingly took the photos and
when the perpetrator takes them unknowingly. The victim may have consented to
the photos being taken, however this does not mean they have consented to the
distribution of the images or videos. In many cases though, the victim is
blamed for taking the photos in the first place even if they believed the
perpetrator could be trusted, it can damage their reputation and cause issues
when they go on to apply for jobs in the future.
According to BBC News the law against revenge porn came into
force in England and Wales in 2015. Since being made a criminal offence, over 200
people have been prosecuted, currently, the maximum sentence is two years
imprisonment which aims to act as a deterrent and show people how seriously
this crime is being taken. Many perpetrators may believe they aren’t doing
anything wrong as the victim consented at the time however the distribution of
these images can have an extremely damaging effect on it’s victims which will
be discussed further later on. Some victims of revenge porn were as young as
11, however anyone can be a victim of this crime whether they are male or
female, old or young. A McAfee study found that 10% of ex-partners have
threatened to publish photos of their ex-partners and 60% of the time, these
individuals did go on to public the photographs and videos online. While there
have been a number of convictions, in 61% of cases, no action was taken against
the alleged perpetrator. In many of the cases, this was due to a lack of
evidence in the case but in many instances the victims withdrew their
statement. Rebecca Hitchin from the charity Rape Crisis explains that like
rape, revenge porn victims often feel reluctant to come forward as they may
think they won’t be believed and the stressful and lengthy legal process may
discourage them from coming forward. The comments on the photos which blame
victims may also discourage victims to come forward as they may feel like it
was their fault or like they will be treated in the same way. They may feel
like they will be judged by family and friends for taking the photographs or
videos in the first place and will be blamed for the actions of the
perpetrators, many victims are being controlled by their partners or
ex-partners who have these images or videos, they may have been told their
families will be sent the images so therefore don’t want to come forward to
report it.
