“One in ten ex-partners have warned to expose intimate pictures online. 60% have followed their threats.”
The Internet has facilitated the world to access and share anything over it. “Anything” means anything, it could dismantle you in the eyes of the whole world and trauma begins. Almost 68% of adults (18-24) used mobile or other communication tools to share explicit images or videos and sexting.
The study reveals that the non-consensual distribution of such media over the internet or forwarding has been habitually done by an ex-partner, husband, bf, or spouse. The main motive behind it is to take revenge for deception, breakup, or to dominate. Besides adults revenge pornography also includes children pornography or nudes.
Search engines like google and many social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram obstructed uploading such content and removes it under cyber laws. But, many porn sites allow such content and buy or sell them online.
Revenge pornography includes two types of content, one in which two partners are involved in some sort of sexual activity or the other in which intimidated pictures or videos of any individual is being shared. The vast grown social media and use of cameras either webcams, smartphones, CCTV, or any other sort have made it easier to capture and share any activity.
In many cases, the victim is unaware of being recorded or captured in their private moments. i.e, bathing, having sex, changing clothes, etc. The purpose of doing such an act is to blackmail for money or any other extortion.
“Be aware before you share.”
Socio-Psychic Behaviour
Females are the prime victims of revenge pornography. 3 out of every 4 victims are female. Almost in every part of the world men dominates women for ages.
In such societies, the wicked activities of men are normally acquitted. Particularly, in the sub-continent, it is taught to men that they are superior and they aren’t meant to bear deception and rejection. It is inculcated through movies, dramas, social norms, and customs.
There are many reasons behind this like cheating, dumped, cancellation of wedding and jealousy. Perpetrators post other identifying information with images or videos on revenge porn sides. A person who got divorced and wrote this after sharing his ex’s nudes, “My Slut ex who has ruined my life”
Anonymous says, “She took my kids, ruined my life, and now bitches about me everyone since the divorce.”
And after the breakup, he created a fake account of her ex and added all her friends and family members, and posted 7 sexually explicit images of her. The girls have been viewed 48000 times in a while. After proven guilty he said, “I shared the pictures to hurt her. Then things got out of control. It becomes a nightmare for her and me”
Many revenge porn websites allow posting explicit images or videos. Once the content has been shared online there will be no way to escape and no room to hide. The victim faces never-ending suffering from depression, distress, PTSD, family, and self-isolation, and suicidal thoughts.
90% of revenge porn victims are women. 93% suffered from distress and 49% stalked and harassed by those who viewed their material.
The story of every single victim is heart-wrenching. Many renowned celebrities also have suffered from online image abuse. K-Pop star Goo Hara and Taiwanese celebrity Peng Hsin-Yi committed suicide after being victimized and harassed on social media.
India is one of three countries including Brazil and the United States has the highest rate of cyberbullying. One of the main causes of cyberbullying is revenge porn. The consequences might be terrible and sometimes the victim and their beloved ones had to took their lives to release the burden.
Here are some of the incidents that shattered our souls:
- The 22-year-old girl and her 44-year-old mother committed suicide in Uttar Pardesh after her ex leaked her obscene video and images online – Mar 29, 2021
- 17 years old Anisha took her life in Murshidabad after her ex had leaked her intimate pics online. – July 11, 2018
- A 16 years old girl hanged herself in Chharanagar Gujrat’ Ahmedabad after her boyfriend leaked her videos. – March 11, 2020
Other countless incidents could be stated under the same category and they have been increasing rapidly with each day.
I felt violated. I couldn’t face anyone, not even my friend. I didn’t know who I could trust anymore
A Revenge Porn Victim
Meanwhile, in many other cases, the victims were unaware of being filmed or captured for extortion or disrepute. Erin Andrews won a lawsuit against Hotel Peephole in one such case.
Recently, The telegram bot conspiracy has shaken its users when it publicly shared 100000 intimidated pictures of women in several groups. The telegram bots can remove women’s clothes and generate their body parts without their consent. The authorities are unable to remove or stop these bots.
You can check more about it: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/porn-bots-in-telegram-deepfake
What should you do if you find your pictures circulated online?
Remember, sharing non-consensual explicit images or video online is a criminal offence under IPC, 1860 and IT act 2000.
Sections 292, 354C, 499, and 509 applies to revenge porn under IPC, which are as below:
- 292: Sharing or posting ribald corporeality.
- 354C: Capturing or recording women’s private acts without her consent.
- 499: Act caused harm to one’s reputation or character.
- 509: Act meant to insult the dignity of women.
Section 66E, 67, 67A, and 72 implies under IT Act 2000, stated as below:
- 66E: Posting or circulating explicit material online to violate one’s privacy.
- 67: Publication or spreading of sexually explicit acts.
- 67A: Posting of obscene material.
- 72: Infringement of confidentiality or secrecy.
One can lodge his/her complaint under these acts but there are major drawbacks of the judicial system such as it can take a long time to proceed. There are other quick actions which could be taken asap.
You should submit a request to the website hosting the material. According to google policy, the explicit material of “revenge porn victim” will be removed from google search results.
Many victims felt humiliated and ashamed that they just don’t report or file the complaint against perpetrators. They need support and courage from their loved ones to tackle the situation. The social behaviour is so harsh rather than punishing or bashing the guilty they started to blame the victim which tore them apart.
