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Revenge Porn: The law, the survivors and its effects.

Revenge Porn: The law, the survivors and its effects.

    You’ve heard of #MeTOO and #TimesUp, these movements are now mainstream discussions about sex and consent. However, there's less conversation about the issue of revenge porn or non-consensual porn.
    Revenge porn has only been in the public eye for the past 5 or so years. Here in Aus, we have legislation in place to ensure the safety of our youth and adults. To post explicit images of another is a crime. However, that doesn't stop the fact that revenge porn is extremely common, with 1 in 5 people have had their sexually explicit or nude content distributed without their consent. Often by a former partner and often contributing to a larger pattern of abuse. Social media has increased the intensity of revenge pron from just showing your friend in person a photo that was texted to you, to now sharing photos of women on groups designed to judge and expose these women. McAfee, the antivirus and security software firm uncovered that 49% of people have admitted to sending a sexual photo to someone they have established trust with.
    Revenge porn is illegal in 37 states and Washington D.C however, finding and removing non-consensual photos of yourself from the internet can be near impossible. Allure, speaking with therapists specialising in sexual trauma discussed how to cope with finding nude photos online without your permission, and even more how to fight back.
    When you share an explicit photo with someone you assume it will be for their eyes only. However, revenge porn is very common, removing the sender's privacy, dignity, choice and control. They have no control over who will see it or how far it goes. The mental effects of revenge pron are not fully known as not much research has been conducted. However, a survey of 1,600 revenge porn survivors reported that 51% experienced suicidal thoughts. Another smaller study with 18 survivors found they experienced anxiety, depression and PTSD. 

Who is affected?

     RMIT and Monash University recently uncovered that 1 in 5 Australians have been a victim of revenge porn. Indigenous, LGBTIQ and individuals living with a disability more likely to be targeted. Further, the survey only captured the results of those who know their images have been distributed, whereas many victims may never know their images were circulated especially considering the dark web. 79 percent of images were of women, while 1 in 3 cases the victim was under 18 at the time of the picture. There used to be entire groups on Facebook where men would share nude photos of women and rate them without their consent, while women would share dickpics sent from men with a scribble over them. While both sexes are doing it, it is disproportionately happening to women. 

What to do if your photos have been shared without consent?
    Take a deep breath. Remember you're not alone there are options. Remember a lot of people choose not to view these photos as they know it is without consent.  However, there are steps you can take to help remove the photos and in Australia even seek justice. The eSafety Commissioner is responsible for dealing with complaints and they are launching an online portal to provide support and recommendations from laws, e-safety knowledge and even mental and physical safety tips. 

     The eSafety Commissioner recommends survivors of image-based abuse follow these steps to get the content removed and even seek further legal action.

  1. Collect evidence: screenshots, URLs, take-down request. Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Pornhub and Xhamster all allow you to report the photos on the grounds they breach user guidelines.
  2. Reverse Image search the image to check if it has been posted in other places. Also, search your name to see if it comes up attached to your identity. Microsoft and Google offer options to remove revenge porn from their search engines and other services. 
  3. Contact the social media platform and explain the image was distributed without your consent, ask for information on the Original Poster, or the group posted to where possible as these may be a harbour for revenge porn.
  4. Report the offence to the eSafety Commissioner and the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network
  5. If you are within Victoria or South Australia, contact your local police at the same time. It is recommended contacting police regardless of your state if you do want to take the case to court. 

Other websites that may be helpful in fighting revenge porn include: 

     Placing the burden of research on the survivor is a heavy responsibility which is why survivors should seek help to overcome the effects of betrayal and privacy breach. Contact a helpline or a counsellor/therapist - preferably one that specialises in sexual trauma. Having your private and intimate videos and pictures made public without consent may lead to like “it was your fault, or that nobody else can ever be trusted.” Remember this was not your fault. Take a step back and gain perspective. Tell yourself what you would tell your friend in a similar situation. Instead of focusing on who may have seen the photos, which you cannot control, focus on what you can control to get your sense of agency back. You have legal options. Be kind to yourself. 

Charges for Image-related abuse.
    The Enhancing Online Safety (Non-consensual Sharing of Intimate Images) Bill 2018 passed through the House of Representatives in February last year. It was a monumental moment in catching legislation up to the growth in technology, as victims of revenge porn throughout the 2000s had no protection or way to seek justice for image-related abuse and crime online.
    Abusers face up to $105,000 for sharing non-consensual intimate content and corporations face $525,000 under the proposed changes. Perpetrators further can face a maximum jail term of 5 years, with repeat offenders spending up to 7 years behind bars.
    The Australian government wants to send a “clear message to creeps that it is not on,” Senator Fifield told the Nine Network. He went on to state that "We are going to make it clear that the ordinary laws of the land — the ordinary acceptable standards of behaviour that apply in the offline world — also apply in the online world." Further, the Australian government committed $4Million over 4 years from the 2018-19 Federal Budget to Support the eSafety Commissioners Office. 

Are there any precautions to prevent nudes being leaked?
    Yes and no. You can use encrypted apps like Signal to send videos and text messages. You can make yourself less recognisable, don't include your face, make sure no tattoos are visible and no birthmarks or possessions visible in the frame. The only way to be fully safe from revenge porn is to not send any content. That advice isn't realistic. The onus is not on you to prevent your privacy being violated it is on your partner and no one else.
Lexi, XX

Tags: porn, censorship, revenge porn, image-related abuse, australian revenge porn, non-consensual photos, nudes leaked, sex tape, news, pornnews

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