Antonia discusses one of the most concerning and disturbing phenomenons in the age of the internet and modern misogyny - the rise of revenge porn. And, mainly, immature young men’s obsession with degrading and humiliating women.
A couple of months ago my flat and I watched a documentary series on Netflix called “The Most Hated Man on The Internet” - I went into it knowing nothing, thinking it’d be about Andrew Tate, Donald Trump or someone similar. Boy, was I wrong.
It follows Charlotte Laws and her mission to take down self-proclaimed “King of Revenge Porn” Hunter Moore and his website, IsAnyoneUp.com, after private photos and personal information of her daughter was uploaded.
Countless girls and young women were waking up to their nude photographs along with their full names, schools they attended, email/social media handles, and even home addresses plastered all over the website. Many of the girls received death threats, digital abuse and were bullied by their peers. Some lost friends, family members and even tried to take their own lives, after numerous, futile attempts of begging Hunter to take them down. Though the concept of revenge porn was not new to me, seeing it happen on such a large scale, paired with Hunter’s shameless, grandiose attitude, and his many supporters glorifying and encouraging his behaviour, was truly horrifying, anger-inducing and disappointing.
In the documentary, Charlotte, along with the help of others, such as anti-bullying activist James McGinbey, managed to shut down IsAnyoneUp for good in 2012. However, despite this festering hub of modern misogyny being gone for over 10 years, it hasn’t changed the fact that anonymously sharing revenge porn is still a huge issue in our society, and it's still alive and kicking. Especially on other mainstream forums / websites, such as Reddit.
There are entire subreddits on the forum dedicated to the sharing of explicit photos/videos/voicenotes of, mainly, women who are entirely unaware that they're being broadcasted online, in the shadows and cracks of the internet. A lot of young men that take these pictures of women during sexual acts, with or without their consent, and anonymously upload them without further consent seem to forget that revenge porn is actually a form of sexual violence. Not only is it illegal but it also has detrimental consequences to the victim’s mental health and well-being. It’s not something that should be taken lightly, used as a joke between friends, or a way to soothe one’s ego after a break-up, which most (but not all) revenge porn cases typically are.
One of the most high-profile cases of revenge porn involved Love Island and reality TV star, Zara McDermott. In 2020, intimate photos of her were leaked online, and she was left feeling violated and helpless. Once a photo reaches the internet, it’s near impossible to reclaim and remove it, especially if you’re in the public eye. McDermott bravely spoke about her experience in her documentary series, stating that “the feeling of knowing that someone out there has something so intimate and personal is terrifying.” Her story highlights the very real consequences of revenge porn and the trauma it can inflict on its victims.
If anyone has seen the tabloids recently you may be aware that Reality TV star Stephen Bear has been sentenced to 21 months in jail after uploading an explicit video of him and his then-girlfriend, Georgia Harrison onto his OnlyFans page, without her knowledge or consent. His attitude surrounding the case in her documentary 'Georgia Vs Bear' was so cocky, distasteful and often hard to watch. I’m hoping his sentence actually triggers something in the young men of our generation who think uploading, sharing or simply sending friends intimate photos of your partner or sneaky link without their consent is funny or impressive. It’s not. It doesn’t make you cool, it makes you a criminal.
If a person is found guilty of revenge porn after being indicted in a criminal trial, they could face a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.
Revenge porn is not something to boast about. It’s cowardly, vile and pathetic. And as a society, we need to work towards a future where misogyny and sexism are no longer tolerated; one where individuals are free to express themselves without fear of harassment or abuse.
Perpetrators of revenge porn need to be held accountable for their actions, both legally and socially. And if you know someone that has or intends to share someone else’s private photos without their consent, stop them. It’s not acceptable, and there are other ways to resolve conflicts in relationships. We need to educate young people about the dangers of revenge porn and how to protect themselves online, while also working to create a culture that values consent and respects individual privacy.