Revenge Porn: How Can We Stop Sexual Images or Videos Being Used to Abuse
few weeks ago, Angela Johnson (USA) announced on her Facebook profile that the person she had sex with decided to publish the video and send it to everyone. The brave woman chose not to keep quiet and asked everyone if they found the recording to forward it to her – so that she would have evidence for the court process. Angela is among the few women who have decided to speak publicly about revenge pornography, of which they are victims. How do women cope with violence, injustice and stigma? Why is this violence so difficult to stop and sanction, and what motivates it?
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“I am not afraid of the truth, nor am I someone who will back down or be scared of threats because I know who I trust and what my identity is built on. Also, I don’t allow myself to live in fear because I have nothing to be afraid of,” Angela Johnson announced in her post. Somewhat due to social stigma, and some mistrust of the judiciary, women do not often decide to speak publicly about revenge porn without fear. And it’s totally understandable. The consequences of revenge pornography are not only endangering her social status, workplace and relationships with people but, above all, her mental and physical health. Many women who have experienced this form of violence live with unbearable feelings of intimidation, fear, disgust, and hatred, which sometimes even cause suicidal thoughts or acts. The state and society are not doing enough to sanction digital violence against women motivated by misogyny. Both in the USA and the world, the problem of “revenge porn” is becoming more frequent among young people.
Revenge pornography is actually a broader number of problems of digital violence. It takes different forms, from violation of privacy, sexual harassment on social networks, comments and stalking to exploitation and threats of revenge pornography or physical violence. The so-called revenge porn is basically at the intersection of the digital world, partners involved and sexual violence against women. It shows that women still have reason to feel unsafe even though they enter into sexual relations willingly. Because, clearly, you never know what creep is secretly gonna film you.
The normalization of this violence occurs in media outlets. We’re talking about the tabloids with sensationalist headlines of popular figures. They often call revenge porn an “affair”. What’s worse, celebrities sometimes do this on purpose. Remember Kim Kardashian’s sex tape leak? That might not be revenge porn, but it still normalizes privacy invasion. And let’s not even mention others who did this or even OnlyFans. However, after all this, most women not only go through psychological hell but, if they ever recover, they face media lynching and social stigma. As if it’s their fault. Let’s not forget the tragic consequences of digital violence in the case of K-pop star Goo Hare. Who, unfortunately, committed suicide after threats, digital violence and revenge porn. Just one month after, another K-pop star did the same at 25 due to online abuse. And it doesn’t just happen to stars – according to an American survey by the “End Revenge Porn” campaign, 51% of victims of revenge porn in the US have thought about suicide.
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Restrictions on movement and strict quarantine during the global pandemic have increased online violence and revenge porn. According to the British organization Revenge Porn Helpline, the number of people seeking help for abuse of pornographic content has almost doubled since the end of March. That’s when the government in Britain imposed measures to stay at home. On the one hand, difficult emotional and material circumstances, isolation, and confinement to the private space of the house only contributed to the increase of violence against women in the family or partner relationship. On the other hand, the confinement of numerous sexual and emotional relationships to an online exchange increased the use of dating apps and cybersex. And it also contributed to greater abuse of pornographic content exchanged for private purposes. You know, web cam sex and all that.
Even though both men and women are victims of digital violence, studies show that women have experienced more online violence and threats of revenge porn. A major survey by the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) entitled “HerNetHerRights: Mapping the state of online violence against women and girls in Europe” shows that in Europe, nine million girls by the age of only 15 have experienced some form of online abuse. Also, women worldwide are 27 times more likely to become victims of online violence. It is also stated that one in five teenagers in Europe has experienced cyberbullying and that girls are at a higher risk (23.9% vs 18.5%).
As far as the UK is concerned, in the announcement regarding research on digital violence among young people, by the Autonomous Women’s Centre from July of this year, it is stated that more than half the girls in high schools in England have been exposed to online comments of sexual content, and almost one in ten experienced someone posting her photos or videos publicly that she privately sent to that person. On the other hand, more than 50% of the boys of a similar age group were exposed to online threats of physical violence. And 15% experienced pressure to watch pornography or participate in acts inspired by pornography.
This research by this woman’s centre points out the typical blaming of the victim, which is a usual “justification” for sexual and physical violence in a patriarchal society. “Although girls show that they know that such behaviour is unacceptable and that this type of violence is something that deeply affects them intimately, the fact that a high percentage of young people of both sexes blame the victim is worrying. Almost a third of girls and boys point out that the girl whose naked photos ended up on the Internet is to blame for what happened,” says a member of the Autonomous Women’s Centre. “Symptomatic of a patriarchal society, the victims of digital violence are more often women and girls, and also, as is the case with physical violence, it is most often committed by a former or current partner. A third of girls say that almost every form of digital violence that happened to them was committed more than once by their current or former partner. More often than boys, they point out that they felt helpless and scared, while boys more often point out that they did not experience it as an important thing. This attitude towards online violence in the period of growing up leads to the normalization of various forms of violence in partner relationships later, as well as physical violence in the family and femicide. Hence the numerous attempts to view the phenomenon of revenge porn in the context of partner violence (“domestic violence”).”
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Although it is absolutely necessary to emphasize the gender aspect of online violence, it should also be said that a large part to blame for this is the way of life in the digital sphere. You know, social and dating apps nowadays are part of the everyday life of teenagers of any gender. The UK data also display that more than a third of young people of both genders (39% of girls and 38% of boys) were exposed to receiving unsolicited photos of someone’s intimate body parts in their inbox. For years, digital violence and revenge pornography, especially among young people (and minors), has been growing precisely because of the normalization of the exchange of sexual content among young people on WhatsApp, Viber, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on dating and sex applications. As for men, they make up a smaller proportion of revenge porn victims. And when they try to defend their rights and get justice, the police and social services often care even less about the relevance of these cases, given that a victim is a man. Also, there is a lot of blackmailing men when it comes to cases of revenge porn. The practice of money blackmail or “sextortion” is mentioned. For example: “Pay us, or we won’t do anything about those published pictures.” Obviously, that can’t be confirmed as a fact, but sometimes rumours are true, and this one wouldn’t be too hard to believe.
Whatever gender it is, this is a criminal offence – unauthorized photography or publication and display of other people’s files, portraits, and recordings. The one who made revenge pornography can be fined or imprisoned. Still, a systematic solution to the problem of revenge pornography and digital violence is unfortunately still sometimes taken lightly, to say the least.
If you want to know the rest of this controversial story, how the police can handle it and how to try and stop it, read part II of this article.
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