New ‘Revenge Porn’ Laws See 13 Sentenced Since April
The rise in the number of smart phone users has recently led to a vast increase in the amount of individuals sharing intimate videos & photographs of their ex partners online. Since April this year ‘revenge porn’, as it is now commonly known, has been a criminal offence in both England and Wales. This new legislation defines ‘revenge porn’ as the following:
“Photographs or films which show people engaged in sexual activity or depicted in a sexual way or with their genitals exposed, where what is shown would not usually be seen in public.
“And which are distributed without the person’s consent, with the intent of causing embarrassment or distress.”
Individuals can now be jailed for up to 2 years for circulating any intimate images or footage online without consent. An individual can also be jailed for showing someone else a physical image or for circulating a personal image via email or text message.
Previously there had been no laws in place for ‘revenge porn’. Instead prosecutors would endeavour to press charges against offenders using various different laws. Such laws have included the Malicious Communications Act 1988, the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and sections of the Communications Act 2003.
However, since the new law came into place in April, around twelve men have been convicted for the offence of ‘revenge porn’. Just recently the first woman in the UK was sentenced for posting intimate photos of her partner on Facebook, following a dispute.
Numerous campaigners for the new legislation are hopeful that this law will discourage individuals from spreading videos and images on the web without consent.
Maria Miller, Culture Secretary at the time the law was passed, has previously said:
“By putting this in place, the government has given young women the opportunity to protect themselves from their lives being blighted.
“When you speak to the victims of these crimes, many say that it feels as if you’ve been virtually raped.”
David Cameron has also voiced his support on the new law. Last July, during a debate in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister described ‘revenge porn’ as a ‘dreadful, appalling offence’ that ‘clearly has criminal intent’.
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Source: Mail Online
