Revenge Porn As a Method of Power and Control






We are living in a fast moving, digital world.  Currently, there is a form of abuse or harassment being conducted on the internet called revenge porn.  Last week, there was an article in the New York Times asking for states to criminalize this behavior.  Prior to that, CNN ran a news story this summer, asking for the same.

“Revenge porn” is a term given to explicit or pornographic photographs or videos that were sent to significant others when the two parties were involved in a consensual relationship, but are then distributed or posted online after they break up.  We have seen this type of behavior in juvenile sexting cases and have seen legislation passed criminalizing this behavior for children, but not for adults.  Victims and advocates (including Transitions) are calling for this behavior to be criminalized.

Currently, victims can sue the perpetrators of this type of behavior with a civil suit, but beyond that, their behavior often doesn’t rise to the level of criminal harassment.  This is the perfect crime for abusers.  It causes great strife in the victim’s life, often affecting their financial security, emotional wellbeing and safety.  Yet, the abuser faces no punishment or consequences. 
Revenge porn is another method of power and control within a domestic violence relationship, whether by actually sharing the photographs or by threatening to do so, it can cause a victim to have fear if she leaves or if she stays. Consider leaving someone when you know that they have nude pictures of you.  They can post them at various intervals--every 6 months, after 2 years, every day, on their Facebook, on your Facebook, on porn hosting sites, on Instagram, etc. etc.  Sure, you can report these as violations on the user agreements on Facebook and Instagram, but revenge porn sites exist specifically for this type of posting!  I doubt they will remove the offensive material, and even if they do, it can be reposted.  Some people, such as Holly Jacobs, interviewed as part of the CNN news story, go to such lengths to change their name, and it is still linked to nude photos.  Abusers have posted personal information, such as schools, places of employment, home addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers--next to messages encouraging people to contact the victims for sex.  Once a victim decides to leave, and the abuser has less and less control over her life, he can post the pictures then, to remind her that he will always have them.  He can compromise her safety if she is living alone enough that she may consider going back to him, to not only have more control over the photographs, but also have someone else in her home.

Sharing photographs or videos without getting the explicit consent of the other party is never ok, whether the person is a juvenile or an adult.  I hope that more states, including Pennsylvania, enact laws criminalizing this behavior.  If you desire, you can sign a petition at www.endrevengeporn.org  to contribute your voice in asking legislators to make this type of harassment against the law.  In addition, I hope that you will give careful consideration to ever creating or sharing a nude or explicit photograph or video.
 
 
 
 
Update:  10/22/2013:
See also, this article, published 10/21/2013.  
 

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