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The revenge porn (also known as revenge pornography) refers to the sharing of explicit or sexual images or videos without the consent of the person in the image, often out of revenge.
This phenomenon affects victims of all ages. However, the most frequently reported incidents occurred between teenagers and adults in their twenties, most of the time generating situations of harassment or blackmail.
This is often due to a lack of information and support regarding the dangers and consequences of sharing private, explicit or pornographic images on the internet or via mobile phone.
It is no longer rare around you to hear the story of women victims of the dissemination of intimate content via an ex-companion. The victims of this type of crime must file a complaint and change the fear of camp. This violence and attack on intimate life must stop.
What is revenge porn?
Revenge Porn consists of disseminating intimate or sexual photos or videos without the victim’s permission, with the aim of humiliating, usually from a rejected boyfriend.. These images and videos are generally produced within the couple by a partner during an intimate relationship with the subject’s knowledge and consent for the recording.
They can be carried out without his knowledge, without express or presumed consent. The contents can also be sent via sms or social networks during private conversations.
The authors of these broadcasts can use the content to blackmail their victims and force them to other sexual acts, to maintain a relationship, humiliation following a breakup, sexual harassment or violence … In more rare cases, this can be the origin of online scams with the aim of sextortion. The broadcast can take place on a social network for the purpose of harassment and spread to relatives.
Women represent the majority of people affected by this practice (90%) but these harmful acts can affect anyone, regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation or any other diversification factor.
Teenagers particularly affected
The use of social networks and new technologies is common and daily for teenagers who have seized on these new modes of communication, the uses of which they have mastered, but underestimate the risks.
For parents, it is sometimes difficult to imagine that teenagers will use their phones, tablets to exchange intimate videos and images. Sending intimate photos, via online messaging or social media, has become extremely easy and common..
40% of teens have already posted or sent a sexually suggestive message, naively believing that the content exchanged between friends, flirtation or romantic relationship will remain strictly private and confidential.
In adults and teenagers in particular, these destructive situations may have pushed victims to suicide or to live with difficulty with serious psychological impacts:
- Suicidal acts.
- Fear and anxiety.
- Loss of self-esteem.
- Social isolation.
- School dropout and absenteeism.
- Psychosomatic disorders.
- Self-harm.
Parents and teenagers can contact specialized services such as Net Ecoute when they are victims of harassment or revenge porn.
What does the law say about Revenge Porn?
Faced with the growing number of this type of cybercrime offense, the legislator had to react and complete the legal arsenal of the penal code made available to judges to punish the guilty.
The digital law of October 7, 2016 introduced a new article 226-2-1 in the Penal Code in order to complete the existing texts and the legislative shortcomings specific to these specific cases.
” Art. 226-2-1. – When the offenses provided for in Articles 226-1 and 226-2 relate to words or images of a sexual nature taken in a public or private place, the penalties are increased to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of 60,000 euros. . “
“The same penalties shall apply to the fact, in the absence of the consent of the person for the distribution, of bringing to the attention of the public or of a third party any recording or any document relating to words or images of a character. sexual, obtained with the express or presumed consent of the person or by himself, using one of the acts provided for in article 226-1 ”.
The law punishes the offense of “Revenge Porn” regardless of whether the victim gave his consent initially when taking the photos or videos. The mere fact of disseminating content without the consent of the person is enough to fall under the blow of the law.
Sharing content that you may receive from a third party for fun also makes you complicit and criminally responsible.
What to do if you are a victim of revenge porn?
The first tips to apply are as follows:
- Do not give in to blackmail and threats.
- Minors or adults, do not be alone in the situation and talk to someone you trust.
- Report content to the sites on which it is posted (social network, adult sites, video platforms).
- In case of difficulties, we can help you to have them removed.
- Have the broadcasts noted via a bailiff for any future legal actions.
- Block the malicious correspondent and keep evidence of possible threats.
- File a complaint at the police station or the gendarmerie, with screenshots in support.
- Take care if you are medically exposed to the Streisand effect.
- Get in touch with legal professionals in order to set up legal proceedings.
The laws exist and sentences to criminal penalties and firm imprisonment have already been handed down in the past. Go on the offensive and enforce your rights in order to convict the people behind these broadcasts and claim damages for compensation for the damage.
How to avoid harassment and revenge of the Revenge Porn type?
The best advice would be to never send intimate content via the internet, sms or otherwise. Assume that all digital content can be pirated, duplicated, transmitted to third parties… This type of reflex should be part of your overall personal e-reputation management strategy.
The reality is that anytime sensitive content is sent to a third party, regardless of the trust placed, there is always a huge risk that an image or video will be shared without your consent. Keep this in mind and rotate your finger 7 times before clicking “send”.
You should even consider that the videos and photos on your phone are not really private and can be used by third party apps.
Aware that these exchanges are more and more common, we can only advise you to be careful and take precautions :
- Avoid sending photos or videos where your face is seen.
- Avoid easily identifiable places.
- Avoid revealing easily identifiable parts of your body (tattoos, piercing, distinctive signs, etc.)
- Avoid exchanges with strangers or people you don’t know much about.
- Delete the content after reception to avoid pirating, sharing by errors, broadcasting by third parties, etc.
- Protect your personal data on internet.